First trailer for the 'zombie romance' Warm Bodies

New from 50/50 and The Wackness director, Jonathan Levine, is Warm Bodies. For those perhaps fed-up with the zombie craze that is sweeping through cinemas and television channels, Warm Bodies looks to subvert some expectations. It centres on R (played by About a Boy’s Nicolas Hoult) who has thoughts but little in the way of communication skills...or a pulse. He is a zombie who shuffles around and attacks the living on a regular basis. However, one night of prowling introduces him to Julie (Teresa Palmer, best known for her part in I Am Number Four). His heart starts beating again after seeing her and the two become boyfriend and girlfriend. All that’s left for them to live happily ever after is getting the rest of humanity to buy in on the change and from the villainous “bonies” to become wiped out for a new societal change.

The trailer has an enjoyable humorous tone and a fairly interesting visual style. The obvious pull is the new take on the zombie story. Hoult has been fairly wooden in recent films and perhaps that helped with his casting as someone undead. In any case he looks like he will lead this film with some flair and a subtle charm. The cast also includes John Malkovich as Julie’s father – a part he doesn’t regularly play. There is enough in the way of casting to allow for a good movie so fingers crossed...


Some aspects of the trailer show the film to be caught up on twee sentiment, but as long as the darkness of the story prevails overall it should be an entertaining film. Levine is a very capable director with a knack for pulling off comedy alongside tragedy – a zombie film should be right up his street.

Warm Bodies is due out February 2013 and is already gaining some attention on the internet and through the novel’s fan-base.