"Did they film "Zombieland" in Garland?" and other trivia about this weekend's blockbuster film

Woody Harrelson and Jessie Eisenberg in this weekend's hit film "Zombieland" (photo:Boston.com)

"Zombieland" is a smash hit, with a $25 million opening on a $23 million budget.  Here, the Comedy Examiner's got some behind-the-scenes info on the movie.  If you saw it this weekend, check this out; if ya didn't, ya might wanna be warned: spoilers ahead.  Read on, gentle Examiner readers...

I'm so happy to see that "Zombieland" pulled in $25 million this weekend.  When I looked up the figures over at Box Office Mojo, I was shocked to see that the film only had a $23 million budget: it's a great looking movie, with sturdy effects, plenty of interesting locations, and lots of exploding zombies. How did they get all this done for $23 million, which usually doesn't buy a sandwich on-set in Hollywood?

I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know some interesting things about how the movie was made and what changes were made before the thing ever hit theaters.  For exampled, did you know that "Zombieland" was supposed to have been a TV show?

Apparently, the movie started out as a pitch for a TV pilot for CBS.  When the series was not picked up, writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Ruben Fleischer, an unknown, directed) took the film to the major studios and got Columbia to bite.  In interviews, Fleischer has mentioned that what you would have seen in the pilot is basically the first hour of the movie, where we meet Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg), Talahassee (Woody Harrelson), and the two con-girls, Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Emma Stone).  Whatever TV execs passed on this "show" must be kicking themselves now.  It kinda reminds me of when every network passed on David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive", only to have the pilot (which was what Lynch released in theaters as the film, plus a couple edits) go on to be nominated for "Best Picture" at the Oscars.  Dummies!

Next up, what about that insane cameo mid-way through the film?  Again, if you haven't already seen "Zombieland", stop reading, becuase this was one of the best sequences in the movies and you don't want it ruined. 

Still here? Fair enough.  Well, star Bill Murray was slated to appear in a cameo originally, but things changed when the star they originally wanted for the extended cameo couldn't do the film.  That person?  Patrick Swayze.  Originally, the writers had a scene in the script where they could get some movie star to star as himself-- but also as a zombie.  Patrick Swayze was the first choice of director Fleischer, but because of his illness, he couldn't do the film.  Bill Murray-- who'd already expressed interest in the film-- came onboard, and the rest is history.  Check out this video of Eisenberg and Harrelson discussing, among other things, Murray's cameo:

Finally, the film starts off with Columbus outside a gas station, saying, "I was in Garland, TX..." which caused the audience in the theater I was at (The IMAX Cinemark over on Webb Chappel) to explode into laughter and applause.  What was funny was, that looked suspiciously like Garland in some shots.  I had to find out: did "Zombieland" shoot here?  And if so, how the hell did I miss that?

Apparently, it didn't.  According to the IMDB, "Zombieland filmed all over Georgia and, in the sequences towards the end of the film, in Los Angeles.  So the filmmakers definitely tricked this writer: I coulda sworn that Waffle House in the opening shot was the one up at Jupiter and 635. 

Now that the film's a huge success, can you expect a sequel?  Says writer/creator Paul Wernick:

Yes on both. Everyone involved creatively would love a sequel. Woody, after the final shoot of the movie, gave me a hug and said, 'I've never wanted to do a sequel on any of my films, except this one.  We'd love another sequel, then maybe a straight-to-DVD deal and then a TV series.

Sounds good to this writer.  So, what'd you think?  Did you see "Zombieland" this weekend?  I thought the film was great, but we wanna hear what you think!  Sound off in the comments section below, folks.

And while you're here, don't forget to check out my other site, NiceGuyForHire, as well as these other recent Comedy Examiner articles:

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"The Jay Leno Show" drops off by 39% in Dallas"-- in which Leno's ratings plummet in the Dallas area.

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"Comedy Review: ZOMBIELAND is one of the best comedies of the year!"-- in which the Comedy Examiner reviews this "Zombedy".

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