Deadworld joins Hollywood comic confab

In what could be further signs of an unhealthy trend, Hollywood is now said to be prepping yet another big-screen movie based on comic-book fare. And this one even features some flesh-eating ghouls.

David Hayter — writer of ‘Watchmen’ and ‘X-Men’ — and former Fox Searchlight exec, Bill Mechanic, have just optioned the rights to Image Comics’ highly popular series, Deadworld. Featuring such role-model characters as ‘Dead-Killer’ and ‘King Zombie,’ the series debuted in 1987 and scored a smash-hit with fans for its rather ‘taste-optional’ habit of adorning its covers with gruesome depictions of the walking undead.

The Deadworld story revolves around King Zombie, a still-breathing corpse who cruises a post-apocalypse world on his Harley, unloading a Montana-sized grudge against the world as a whole, and the few humans left who made him feel odd. And this is not exactly your day at the beach, as he’s constantly thwarted by flesh-eating zombies who hunt them for food.

“It’s very much about the design of the Deadworld and creating frightening but not necessarily gory creatures,” Mr. Hayter told the Tinseltown newser, Variety. “I am a huge fan of zombie mythology.” he explained. And if ghouls are his day-job, the mind boggles what the man does for fun?

No cast or director is known yet, but production is scheduled to open next year, with firm plans for sequels if this gruesome debut doesn’t make millions ill.