S Poddar
Simon Pegg strongly opposes the idea of a remake or reboot of his 2004 zombie comedy, “Shaun of the Dead,” citing it as a deeply personal project with director Edgar Wright. Pegg, 54, expressed his feelings in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, emphasizing the film’s significance to him and Wright.
“Shaun of the Dead is incredibly personal. There’s so much of us in that film,” Pegg explained. Reflecting on the film’s themes, such as Shaun’s complex relationships, Pegg revealed, “The whole thing with Shaun’s mum, the stepdad, I had a problematic relationship with my stepfather. It was Edgar’s idea to kill the mum.”
Pegg further elaborated on his reluctance towards reboots, stating, “If someone was to reboot it, it would be a cynical and exploitative exercise. I would hope that people are in love with our Shaun enough to resist a reboot.”
The film, known for its comedic portrayal of a zombie apocalypse in London, marked the beginning of a trilogy known as the Three Flavours Cornetto films, which includes “Hot Fuzz” (2007) and “The World’s End” (2013), all directed by Wright.
Pegg also criticized the trend of reusing titles without respect for the original work, referencing Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake. “They could have called it Deadish,” Pegg suggested, “but when you just take a title because people recognize it, it’s so disrespectful to the original.”
Regarding the possibility of a sequel, Pegg dismissed the idea, questioning the narrative potential without dismantling the original film’s achievements. “There’s just not a story to tell,” he concluded.
Throughout the interview, Pegg emphasized the personal nature of his collaborations with Wright and their desire to preserve the integrity of their creative works.
