OK, the ‘Pride And Prejudice And Zombies’ movie is already amazing
At last! After five years of whispered plans, the world finally gets a taste of what’s to come from the long-awaited Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie. Entertainment Weekly has released a still of the movie’s protagonists, the Bennet sisters, and let’s just say that it’s fairly evident that these women of refinement are ready to kick ass.
Though the road to production has been a bit bumpy for ‘PPZ’ (that’s my new abbreviation, as this title is definitely a mouthful), the film, directed by Burr Steers, is expected for release sometime in 2015. Here are just a few reasons we suspect the movie will live up to the hype:
1. Zombies
Duh. As if Jane Austen’s original work weren’t captivating enough in its own right, the addition of the “Sorry Stricken” wandering through the Regency era English countryside, bent on the consumption of human flesh, will surely make for an entertaining setting.
2. A stacked cast
The performers associated with the film include some of Britain’s finest, such as Lily James (Downton Abbey) as Elizabeth, Sam Riley (Maleficent) as Mr. Darcy, Matt Smith (Dr. Who) as Mr. Collins, and Lena Heady (Game of Thrones) in an as-yet-unrevealed role. In the midst of romantic turmoils and zombie battles, expect to see some solid acting chops.
3. A chance to revisit Jane Austen
Though there have been numerous screen adaptations of Austen’s work, this one is by far the most unusual. However, it is possible that the movie will bring a fresh perspective to Austen’s words and characters. The parody book itself was quite favorably reviewed, with A.V. Club’s Donna Bowman noting that “What begins as a gimmick ends with renewed appreciation of the indomitable appeal of Austen’s language, characters, and situations, and unbridled enjoyment in the faithfulness with which they have been transformed into the last, best hope of English civilization.”
4. Women heroines who actually get to be heroic
Though the Bennett sisters are prim and proper to an extent, the opportunity to see not one, but five, zombie-slaying ladies onscreen is somewhat of a rarity. Hopefully the horror element will bring out even more of Elizabeth’s signature strong-willed spirit. James tells Entertainment Weekly that “Even in the original story, Elizabeth’s a fighter and beyond her contemporaries in her ambitions and her ideas of women. She’s a badass warrior. She’s a ninja.”
In the meantime, let’s all practice our best zombie-fighting moves and hope that we can emulate just a smidgen of the new Bennet sisters’ aforementioned bad-assery.
(Image via Entertainment Weekly)
