Boy band members team up for post-apocalyptic zombie western Dead 7

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

News has come out of last week's Comic-Con on a project that is only on my radar because one of my favorite people is a devoted follower of the Backstreet Boys and of BSB Nick Carter's other musical endeavors. I don't share her appreciation for that kind of music, but out of respect for her I will keep my negativity in check.

Carter has branched out into the feature world before, with roles in movies like MONSTER ISLAND, THE HOLLOW, and KILL SPEED, and he is now teaming with The Asylum, the studio which is home to MEGA SHARKs and SHARKNADOs, to make a film that doesn't feature a shark (as far as we know) but is instead a post-apocalyptic zombie Western. When previously reported on, the movie was known as DEAD WEST, but it has since undergone a title change to DEAD 7. 

If the release of Antoine Fuqua's remake of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN wasn't so far off (January of 2017), I'd think Asylum was planning for this to be their MAGNIFICENT mockbuster. Instead, it's set to premiere on Syfy in the summer of 2016.

DEAD 7 is the story of

a ragtag band of gunslingers who must rid a small town of a zombie plague in a post-apocalyptic West. 

In addition to writing and directing the film, Carter will star as Jack, "the reluctant hero who unites the outlaws to face the zombie menace." He'll be joined in the cast by fellow BSB member Howie Dorough, who'll be playing one of the gunslingers; BSB member A.J. McLean (who had a role in Tim Ritter's 1986 SOV slasher TRUTH OR DARE? as a child) as the villain's apprentice; 'N Sync member Joey Fatone as a drunk; and his wife Lauren Kitt Carter as a "strong female" bandit.

There was no mention of Shaquille O'Neal, who Carter once expressed interest in getting into the movie.

The remaining BSBs, Brian Litrell and Kevin Richardson, may also take part in DEAD 7, and Carter is using his Twitter to invite other pop stars to join the cast, sending out tweets to Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown, SisQo, One Direction's Niall Horan, and even someone I am a fan of, Paul McCartney. 

I would suggest maybe trying to cast actors in the movie as well. If it must be packed with singers, how about a boy band member with both an acting track record and genre cred: Donnie Wahlberg?

We'll see how this casting situation pans out as DEAD 7 nears production. In the meantime, Carter has used his Instagram to offer a glimpse at what his wife's costume in the film might look like: