Patrick Swayze Was To Cameo In Zombieland
Source:Ryan Rotten, Managing Editor
September 18, 2009

When writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick set out to find an actor to cameo in their horror-comedy
Zombieland (
set report/interviews), their initial choice was Patrick Swayze who passed away earlier this week.
"That was many years ago, before he got sick," explains Reese. The script got its start as a television pilot before it was groomed for the big screen and found its stars Jesse Eisenberg (as Columbus) and Woody Harrelson (as Tallahassee).
"It was [going to be] a Patrick Swayze zombie. They got attacked by him zombified and we had these wonderful moments where they found a potter's wheel and there's Columbus on the wheel and these other hands come up behind him and it's Patrick Swayze the zombie. Ultimately, they fight and Patrick bull rushes Tallahassee who grabs him and lifts him into the air, a la Jennifer Grey, and smashes him into a pillar."
When Swayze unfortunately had to bow out, Reese and Wernick set their sights on a number of other actors including Sylvester Stallone, Joe Pesci, Mark Hammill, The Rock, Kevin Bacon, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Matthew McConaughey. But none of them worked out.
Wait until you see who they ultimately nabbed for the film when
Zombieland munches on theaters October 2.
Comments
Posted by: Zak on September 18, 2009 at 14:22:33
I saw a preview screening of this... none of those actors named above are in the movie.
Posted by: Zak on September 18, 2009 at 14:23:19
Oh, by "Wait until you see who they nabbed" you meant the one cameo they did get?
That makes more sense.
Posted by: Silent Kitten on September 18, 2009 at 14:35:49
I would like to see Mark Hammill turned into a zombie. But...also, I would love to see him dressed like Luke Skywalker and carrying one of those blue plastic lightsabers from Wal-Mart!!! Epic!!
Posted by: Jinx on September 18, 2009 at 14:55:23
I'm guessing the actor they ultimately got for this cameo is...
..SPOILER(?)...
...Bill Murray, who has been rumored to make an appearance in this film for a while now.
Posted by: jrrrz on September 18, 2009 at 15:03:32
@Jinx,
you are correct. it was announced months and months ago that Bill Murray would have a cameo as a zombie in this film.
Posted by: Nunya on September 18, 2009 at 16:08:28
I was going to make an awful joke but...maybe it's too soon. You could use your imagination though and guess if you really think hard about it.
Posted by: Captain Obvious on September 18, 2009 at 16:21:21
ATTN. ZAK......Thank you for pointing out that none of those actors named above were in the movie because you saw a special screening. Even though the article clearly states "but none of them worked out"... tool
Posted by: anutcalledjut on September 18, 2009 at 20:56:02
The Bill Murray cameo may have been the funniest part of the entire movie. It was great. I was fortunate enough to see it at a screening in Salt Lake on Wednesday night. Great movie!
Posted by: Nico on September 18, 2009 at 21:56:01
Why would any of those actors want to be in this movie? Stallone has credibility again. JCVD was a modest comeback. Maybe Joe Pesci needs work, but I doubt it. Established actors should have standards, as well as enough money to be able to pass on movies called Zombieland.
Posted by: 788 on September 18, 2009 at 23:06:48
**** reading the whole article....i just gotta be first.
"I saw a preview screening of this... none of those actors named above are in the movie."
boy my mom is going to be sooo impressed!
Posted by: joshua frost on September 18, 2009 at 23:47:57
The guest zombie is Bill Murray. He was down in the Atlanta area filming a movie with Robert Duvall the same time Zombieland was filming. And they just happened to get him. Can't wait to see this thing.
Posted by: ..Michael Myers.. on September 19, 2009 at 01:30:20
Hmmm I'm going to say Macho Man Randy Savage ooooooohhhh yeaahhhhhhh!!! Or maybe Clay Aiken. Or maybe Joan Rivers...no wait, she is a zombie.
Posted by: Respect on September 19, 2009 at 19:26:03
This report is untrue. Swayze was never involved with this film, never even knew its name. It's beyond shameless that his good name and his untimely death is being used to promote this film.
Posted by: tom on September 19, 2009 at 20:37:56
Saw this movie this past Thursday at a screening in PHX AZ. Great movie I put down my $9.00 to see it agian.
Posted by: Ryan Rotten, Managing Editor on September 19, 2009 at 21:10:02
"Respect," and your source is?
Posted by: ShadowMan on September 20, 2009 at 00:32:43
Ahhh, Bill Murray. The worst kept "secret cameo" since Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder...
Posted by: ShameonYou on September 20, 2009 at 04:50:08
No, you're wrong. It was Michael Jackson who was to cameo in Zombieland. Get your facts straight, ShocktillIMAKESOMETHINGUPyoudrop!
Posted by: chad on September 20, 2009 at 21:42:43
HEY RESPECT YOU ARE VERY WRONG,I THINK YOU NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH BEFORE YOU MAKE A STATEMENT!It was even on ET among others
Posted by: J on September 28, 2009 at 06:11:09
I got to see a screening of this last week and it was HILARIOUS! I can't wait to go to another screening this week in Hollywood. I guess they're doing a zombiewalk starting at Grauman's Chinese Theater and then zombies get into the screening for free. It's gonna be so awesome. zombielandzombiewalks.com says they're doing this in other cities as well, if anyone is interested in going? I think it was Houston, Dallas, DC, and Chicago, if I remember correctly. But yeah, definitely go see this movie - and stay until the end of the credits for an extra scene!
Posted by: tomjones on October 19, 2009 at 16:52:49
Actually, Tom Cruise does make a cameo, and as in Tropic Thunder he's behind a lot of makeup. The scene is in the amusement park, he's to the left o another zombie in a two shot (2), and spits up a little blood. Check it out, it is a really fun movie.
1
Add a comment