Shaun of the Dead hit movie theaters in 2004 and introduced cinema to one of the most unique filmmakers of the last few decades, Edgar Wright. As well as this, the movie catapulted Simon Pegg and Nick Frost to superstardom. Since then, all three talents have become major Hollywood stars thanks to the glaring success of this now iconic movie.
Following the life of Shaun (Simon Pegg), a 29-year-old electronics salesman, the film blends comedy, action and horror in a groundbreaking way. After his girlfriend dumps him, Shaun tries to get her back. However, he must do so against the backdrop of a zombie outbreak that has swept the nation. With his best friend in tow, Shaun finally commands his chance to step up and prove himself as a man, protecting the woman he loves from brain dead flesh-eaters. Now nearly two decades since its release, let’s take a look into the true story behind Shaun of the Dead.
Shaun of the Dead Was Spawned from Edgar Wright’s ‘Spaced’
Before the incredible success of Shaun of the Dead, director Edgar Wright had already garnered a devoted cult following through his innovative and wacky television show, Spaced. This critically acclaimed British series, airing from 1999 to 2001, follows the lives of aspiring writer Daisy Steiner (Jessica Hynes), and aspiring comic book artist Tim Bisley (Simon Pegg). The plot revolves around the pair pretending to be a couple in order to secure a desirable rent-controlled apartment. As the story unfolds, the series boasts a barrage of pop culture references, fast-paced editing, and surreal yet relatable humor.
Spaced served as the propellor board where Wright would hone his unique style of filmmaking. Furthermore, it was also a key factor for the concept of Shaun of the Dead. In the episode “Art”, Tim stays up all night playing the popular video game, Resident Evil. However, after consuming a large amount of drugs, Tim starts to hallucinate and believes he is actually fighting off a herd of zombies. Both Pegg and Wright were so happy with this sequence that they decided they should write a whole movie in the vein of that episode. To that, the idea for Shaun of the Dead came to light.
Shaun of the Dead Originally Had a Different Title
It’s no secret that Shaun of the Dead is a spoof of the zombie genre. However, it has proven to be so much more than that. It does not rely on the spoofing of famous zombie movies, nor does it pay an over proportionate amount of homage to other movies. Instead, the film serves up its own unique plotline whilst also not taking itself too seriously. However, its name is perhaps the biggest spoof element that the movie possesses. The title is a play on words to the classic zombie movie, Dawn of the Dead. But what many people don’t realize is, the movie was originally set to be called “Tea Time of the Dead”. When writing the script together, Wright and Pegg penned a one page document and used this title. It was also the shooting name for the movie, until they eventually landed on Shaun of the Dead.
The Legacy of “The Cornetto”
Cornetto, the beloved British ice cream, has undeniably become synonymous with the genius of Edgar Wright’s movies. The delectable treat caught the attention of fans when it made multiple prominent appearances in his films – Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End. When appearing on an episode of Vanity Fair’s Notes on a Scene, Wright shed some light on this recurring prop. While breaking down a scene from the movie, Wright explained how the feature of the Cornetto was a subtle nod to his days at university. After a night of drinking, Wright’s go to hangover food was in fact a Cornetto.
How the Production Hired So Many Extras
Shaun of the Dead had a modest budget of $6.1 million. Considering the amount of practical effects involved, this meant that the production had to operate on a low-budget scale. As with any zombie movie, a great deal of extras are needed. However, Wright had a plan to execute this without eating too much into the budget. By the time the movie began filming, Spaced had been off the air for two years, yet its fanbase was still going strong. When speaking with GQ, Simon Pegg stated that in order to hire so many extras to portray zombies, they hired over 1100 fans of Spaced. Legally, the production had to pay them something, so they were all paid £1 each for their involvement.
The Confusion Around The Winchester Pub
The Winchester Pub serves as a key backdrop for the movie. It represents a point in Shaun’s stale life, as his girlfriend believes he spends way too much time there. As a result, she breaks up with him at the start of the film. However, ironically, when they attempt to find safety from the zombies, they wind up taking shelter at The Winchester. To that, the pub serves as the location for the final act of the movie, and is where the majority of the gruesome action unfolds.
After the release of the movie, eager fans flocked to North London to find the now famous pub. In his interview with GQ, Simon Pegg stated that they created The Winchester Pub as they needed a way of equipping Tim with a gun at the end of the film. So, they decided that the pub would be called The Winchester thanks to the Winchester gun hanging over the bar. However, the pub that served as inspiration in the writing process was a real-life pub called The Boogaloo. Although there is a pub close by called The Winchester, who claim the movie is based on them, Pegg confirmed that this is false. Interestingly, neither of these pubs were the shooting location for Shaun of the Dead. In fact, the scenes were filmed at the now closed Duke of Albany Pub in New Cross, South London.
Shaun of the Dead Nearly Got a Sequel
Since the huge success of Shaun of the Dead, Wright, Pegg and Frost worked together two more times. However, the last time they collaborated was with 2013’s The World’s End. Since then, they have all gone on to their own projects and found great triumph and acclaim. However, a Shaun of the Dead sequel is apparently not completely out of the question.
The idea of a Shaun of the Dead sequel with a vampire theme (possibly called From Dusk Till Shaun) was initially mentioned on a DVD commentary track. Even though it appeared to be a joke, eager fans clung onto these words and vyed for the movie to come to fruition. However, in a 2017 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Simon Pegg announced that he had written a treatment for From Dusk Till Shaun. Furthermore, he added that Wright said that he thought it would be humorous to duplicate the Shaun atmosphere with vampires and the same cast as the 2004 movie.
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