Imagine a world where the radiant actress, Kate Winslet and the charming star, Simon Pegg fight off hordes of the living dead. This pairing could have added a unique element of creativity to the zombie genre. Fans can speculate about what might have been if this intriguing pairing possibility had actually materialized.
Winslet has never been a big fan of horror films, but that might have changed if she had been cast in a zombie comedy film. With her standout performances in cult favorites like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and mainstream movies like Titanic, the English actress has made a name for herself in the movie business.
In fact, she was sought after by a studio for a role in one of the best-known zombie movies ever. However, despite initially liking the script, the actress ultimately changed her mind. The idea for the project came from visionary filmmaker, Edgar Wright. Any guesses as to which movie it was?
Kate Winslet Almost Starred In This Zombie Movie With Simon Pegg
In The Walking Dead’s culture-obsessed society, it is difficult to imagine a time when zombies were the center of popular culture. However, the undead had not been a popular subject in the film industry for a while when Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost teamed up to create the zombie comedy, Shaun of the Dead (2004).
Well, did you know that Kate Winslet eventually won the role of Liz, Pegg’s (Shaun) girlfriend? However, the role was later eventually filled by Kate Ashfield.
Edgar Wright, the director of Shaun of the Dead, revealed in the book You’ve Got Red on You by Clark Collis:
“Working Title were like, ‘Can’t you cast up for Liz?’ So that turned into a brief period of chasing after Kate Winslet.”
Pegg, who is renowned for his wit and precise comedic timing, further revealed:
“We had tea with Kate Winslet at the Charlotte Street Hotel or the Covent Garden Hotel. We sat down with her and chatted her through it. I don’t know if she was ever particularly interested in playing the part, but we certainly courted her for a little bit.”
But fate appeared to have other plans for Winslet, now 47, as Pegg noted:
“Kate Winslet liked the script a lot, but then something else came through that she did instead [That was Eternal Sunshine]. Honestly, much as I love Kate Winslet, I was relieved. She’s so famous that as soon as she comes on board, it becomes the new Kate Winslet movie. Every single article would be ‘Kate Winslet film!’. She’s brilliant, but it was obvious that her fame would capsize the film in maybe a not useful way.”
What Is Simon Pegg’s Opinion of Shaun of the Dead 2?
Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead, who rose to fame in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom, Spaced, believes that a sequel to the well-liked 2004 zombie comedy film is not necessary.
In a conversation with The Guardian, the actor admitted that he is frequently questioned about a possible sequel and gave his reasoning, stating:
“If I ever do an Instagram Live or whatever, people are always like, ‘I need Shaun of the Dead 2 in my life.’ And I’m like, ‘No, you don’t f**king need Shaun of the Dead 2! The last thing you need is Shaun of the Dead 2! It’s done. Move on!’ ”
The horror-comedy, which was written by Edgar Wright and Pegg, quickly gained cult status. The Cornetto Trilogy, consisting of Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, was also produced as two follow-ups.
In contrast to appearing in a Shaun of the Dead 2 sequel, the 53-year-old English actor is more eager to continue the series with a new film. Yes, he even hinted that he and Wright had gotten together to see if they could work on a fourth movie.
The 2004 zombie comedy movie received positive reviews and was a financial success, making $30 million worldwide on a $6.1 million budget and earning two nominations for the British Academy Film Awards.
You can stream Shaun of the Dead on Amazon Prime Video.
Source- Digital Fix
