Greetings and Happy New Year, my fellow horror friends! Hopefully you are not too hungover. The response to our last Christmas-themed Necessary Evil which posed a sequel to the Silent Night remake was merrily positive. I think a sequel would really make sense, so let’s keep our fingers crossed on that one. Today, we are ringing in the new year with a horror-centric idea centered on the big event from last night and on the biggest possible stage: Times Square in New York City! Isn’t it about time we got a zombie outbreak movie on the eve of the new year? I think so!
IDEA: A zombie outbreak movie that takes place in Times Square, NYC on New Year’s Eve.
OUTLINE: Alright, we have to give some sort of origin point for the catalyst that will set the zombie outbreak in motion. Here’s how I see it going down: a brilliant, but nerdy college grad student chemist gets dumped by his girlfriend the day of New Year’s Eve. She is looking to trade-up and start dating their physics professor. The chemist is crushed, but learns that the professor is taking his now-ex to Times Square for New Year’s Eve. He also sees a bag of party blowers that his ex left behind.
The chemist pays a trip to the infectious disease wing of the college’s lab and sneaks out a small packet of a powdery substance. He places the packet inside one of the party blowers and gives it back to his ex, wishing her well.
We then cut to the hordes of people filing into the streets of Times Square. Camera crews are setting up. Ryan Seacrest is getting a manicure on stage. Musical acts are warming up. And the police are keeping a watchful eye over everything. We are going to focus on a couple of tourists as our main characters who have traveled to New York for the very first time. The group can consist of a girl and her boyfriend who plans on proposing right after the ball drops, as well as two of their friends.
At 11pm, the crowd is growing more excited. Seacrest is up on stage working the audience and being a complete diva. The chemist’s ex breaks out the party blowers and hands one to the professor. He smiles and gives the horn a little toot. The powdery substance inside the blower bursts out, hitting the ex in the face. She drops to the ground. The professor kneels down to check on her and is instantly bit in the jugular. Both are now fully infected and totally zombified out!
With all the people in Times Square so tightly packed in together, the zombie outbreak spreads with ease. A massive panic erupts. People are trying to escape, but are brutally taken down by the rapidly growing army of the undead. The tourist couple and their two friends fight for survival while attempting to navigate the confusing streets of New York. Can they stop the zombie outbreak from spreading beyond the city? Can they escape with their lives? Will the couple get engaged? All I know for certain is at some point towards the end, Ryan Seacrest is greeted by a newly resurrected zombie Dick Clark who tears him to pieces.
WHY IT COULD WORK: I know for a fact that there has never been a zombie film set in New York City on New Year’s Eve. How cool does that sound?! Could you imagine the fun set pieces that could be arranged with the people trying to flee, but the streets are too overcrowded? It could be the fastest massive zombie transformation ever committed to film! I’m pretty sure that many fans would love to see that.
CHARACTERS: There will be the chemist nerd who starts it all as well as his ex-girlfriend and the professor. We will have the young about-to-be engaged couple along with their two friends, a man and a woman. Maybe throw a NY cop in the mix. And, of course, Ryan Seacrest (or someone that looks like him).
CONCLUSION: Obviously, zombie mayhem is still very popular both on TV and the big screen. I also think that audiences are dying for a slightly new and fun concept on the whole zombie apocalypse angle. With the festive setting of New Year’s Eve in the greatest city in the world and a huge mass of people that could end up being sitting ducks, this idea could lead to one hell of a viewing blast!
What do you think? Would the addition of zombies make for a really rockin’ New Year’s Eve? Is there anything else you think could be added? Make your first resolution of the New Year be to share your thoughts below! And if you have any ideas that you think should be made into horror reality, let me know at mikecatalano@joblo.com.