Netflix has its eye on landing a huge must-see movie to cement its position as a legitimate contender against the major film studios. It’s done pretty well so far. Last year’s ‘Roma’ was nominated in multiple categories at the Academy Awards and other accolades. And ‘Bird Box’ and this year’s documentary ‘Fyre’ were all people could talk about when they were released.
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Now the streaming service is turning to big budget veteran Zack Snyder to deliver a zombie heist movie that they hope will stand up next to the splashiest summer blockbusters. ‘Army of the Dead’‘ has already signed one major film star, Dave Bautista.
[Army of the Dead] is set amid a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, during which a man assembles a group of mercenaries to take the ultimate gamble: venturing into the quarantined zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. Zack Snyder and Deborah Snyder are producing, and Ori Marmur and Andrew Norman are overseeing it for Netflix.
While the rest of the cast has not been announced, a list of characters from the movies has. Judging by the descriptions, Bautista is most likely portraying the character listed as “Vanderohe.”
- Scott (40s-50s): Dry-witted, thoughtful. Estranged from his family. (Lead)
- Kate (Early 20s): Taciturn, hard-working, driven. She is Scott’s daughter but estranged from her father. She is a volunteer with the World Health Organization. (Lead).
- Vanderohe (30s-40s): Strong as a beast, with muscles bulging out of his tight T-shirt, this guy is a “badass,” but also good-humored. Known for his expertise when it comes to killing zombies. He has a philosophical approach to life to counteract his emotional scars from what he witnessed in the war. (Lead).
- Frank Peters (50s-60s): He is a “cool-as-hell older dude with slicked-back gray hair and aviators.” A chopper pilot, brought on board to transport the team into the zombie-held territory. (Lead).
- Lilly (Late 20s-30s): Restless, a tough cookie, also known as the Coyote, helping those, who, for whatever reason, need to get back inside the zombie stronghold. She’s canny and crafty, with all the skills to survive in the most hostile of environments. (Lead).
- Cruz (Female, late 30s-40s): Latina, a mechanic, owner of a body shop. Hard-drinking and tough-talking, she’s more than happy to join the mission into the zombie stronghold, but it’s not for the money. (Lead).
- Ludwig Dieter (Male, 20s): A scrawny Swiss-German kid and master safe-cracker. He has broken into more high-security vaults than anybody else in the world. Dieter is the only one who is vocally excited about the mission and considers the upcoming adventure real “fun.” (Lead).
- Reggie (20s): “Tough as can be—jacked, stacked and cool.” He, too, is a member of the team whose primary role is straight-up zombie killer. (Supporting).
- Adeline (30s): Disenfranchised immigrant, a refugee, she’s a single mom with two young children, willing to do anything to keep her kids safe. (Lead).
- Burt Cummings (30s): Thin, with a “porny mustache,” greasy-haired, this guy is a tobacco-chewing, self-important jerk, cocky and alienating, who is taking advantage of the power he has obtained over the refugees. (Lead).
- Mikey Guzman (30s): Fearless, highly capable, he is a sharp-shooter, able to kill multiple zombies with a single shot. He is looking for the one big score that will change his life. (Supporting).
- Martin (30s): A Ray-Ban wearing fellow in a suit, he is right-hand-man to billionaire Hunter Bly. Former head of security at Blye’s Las Vegas casino. No one is quite sure of his motivations. (Lead).
Joby Harold and Shay Hatten penned the screenplay based on a story by Snyder. Snyder and his wife Deborah are executive producing under their Stone Quarry banner. ‘Army of the Dead’s production budget is reportedly $90 million.
Check back for news as it emerges.
Source: Observer
