Welp, there's timely, and then there's Fede Alvarez' new project for Lionsgate, titled 16 STATES. Lionsgate recently won the John Requa and Glenn Ficarra-scripted venture via a competitive auction, which has Alvarez on board to direct.
We hear that the story introduces a zombie-centric pandemic, with a mother trying to reach her family at the center of all the moaning, biting and shambling. Those close to the concept have likened it to Will Smith's 2007 post-apocalyptic drama I AM LEGEND.
The project sees Alvarez reteaming with Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane and Erin Westerman, who all hail from Lionsgate. Previously, Drake and Kahane produced Alvarez' DON'T BREATHE and EVIL DEAD when they were partners with Sam Raimi courtesy of Ghost House. Roy Lee and Miri Yoon of Vertigo Entertainment are producing, with Requa, Ficarra and Charlie Gogolak by way of Zaftig Films. Meanwhile, Alvarez, Shintaro Shimosawa and Rodolfo Sayagues of Bad Hombre will also produce.
Something tells me that 16 STATES will be the first of many pandemic-related projects to be proposed in the coming months. In fact, I would bet that a number of quarantined writers are making good use of their time spent in isolation by penning their own pandemic thriller. While I'm not sure how many cinephiles will still have a taste for post-apocalyptic scenarios after coming so close to living one of their own, I assume that we'll be hearing plenty of creative spins on the genre in due time. And hey, if you've got a fresh take on the material, let's hear it!