Lumbering through development hell since at least 2010, zom-com Scouts Vs. Zombies is finally heading into production. Last we heard (a year ago), Tropic Thunder and Men In Black 3 writer Etan Cohen was directing, but he's since been replaced by Christopher Landon, who most recently made Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones and wrote 2007's Disturbia. The film also now has its scout leader, in the jocular form of Champ Kind himself, David Koechner.
As you might surmise from the title,** Scouts Vs. Zombies** finds a troop of bob-a-jobbers facing down a horde of flesh-craving undead on a camping trip. They’ll need all their survival skills to avoid becoming the zombies’ latest meal, and to help save their small town.
Carrie Evans and Emi Mochizuki wrote the original script, which hit the 2010 Black List and attracted interest from Race To Witch Mountain director Andy Fickman. He’s still involved, but only as producer, with a subsequent screenplay draft knocked out by Lona Williams (Drop Dead Gorgeous). Cohen's name no longer appears anywhere in connection with the film.
Koechner, meanwhile, obviously has a cracking comedy heritage, including Anchorman's aforementioned Mr Kind, and credits on The Office and American Dad. But as of recently, he's not a stranger to horror either: there was Piranha 3DD, and his turn in E.L. Katz' brilliant Cheap Thrills is a thing of deep joy, both humorous and utterly sinister. We're thinking simply "humorous" will be the emphasis this time around though. Nobody wants a sinister scout leader.
Scouts Vs. Zombies is currently in pre-production, with shooting set to start on May 8.