The Kidd here...
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES has been down a long, hard, arduous road over the years, and that's with the film not even ever having been made to this point. Directors were dropping off the project like flies (David O. Russell, Mike White, Craig Gillespie), while the film has bene unable to nail down its lead since Natalie Portman decided she was too old to play Elizabeth Bennett. Blake Lively, Scarlett Johansson, Emma Stone, Anne Hathaway, and Mila Kunis all were offered the role at one point in time, and every single last one of them passed on the opportunity. With zombies a hot commodity, it seemed crazy at the time that the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's mash-up novel wasn't gaining any traction over at Lionsgate where it was being developed. In hindsight, with ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, maybe that turned out to be a wiser decision than we originally thought.
But fear not, Jane Austin fans (or at least fans of sticking zombies in an Austen novel)... PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is back from the dead, with Panorama Media announcing that they are joining forces with Darko Entertainment, Handsomecharlie Films and producer Allison Shearmur to finally get P&P&Z made. Portman remains involved as a producer, but there is no word on Lionsgate still being a part of this, so the property looks to be up for grabs come Cannes, where they're looking to present it.
Right now, the hunt for a director is on, as the producing team tries to put together a package in order to sell those domestic and international distribution rights... but no names have leaked out yet as to who may be interested. Hopefully whoever signs on this time will have much better luck in recruiting a lead actress to front the film.
-Billy Donnelly
"The Infamous Billy The Kidd"
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