Questions
Who made Shaun of the Dead and when did it come out?
It was directed by Edgar Wright and written by Wright and Simon Pegg, releasing in 2004. It premiered in London in March 2004 and reached UK cinemas that April.
Where does the title come from?
It is a pun on George A. Romero’s classic Dawn of the Dead. The film is a loving zombie comedy tribute to that horror tradition.
Who stars in it?
Simon Pegg plays Shaun and Nick Frost plays his best friend Ed, with Kate Ashfield as Liz, Bill Nighy as Shaun’s stepfather Philip, and Penelope Wilton as his mother Barbara.
What is the story about?
A 29-year-old London salesman wakes up to a zombie apocalypse and sets out to rescue his loved ones. They eventually take shelter in his favorite pub, the Winchester.
Where did the idea come from?
Wright reportedly conceived it after a night with Pegg and Frost about making their own zombie film, drawing on a zombie hallucination episode from their TV series Spaced. Pegg and Wright reportedly wrote the screenplay in eight weeks.
Is it connected to other Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg movies?
Yes, it is the first film in their Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy. It was followed by Hot Fuzz in 2007 and The World’s End in 2013.
How does the friendship between Shaun and Ed feel so real?
Nick Frost said the Shaun and Ed dynamic is similar to his real relationship with Pegg, since the two had lived together for years. That authentic bond fed into their onscreen chemistry.
How did they get to use Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now for the pub fight?
The famous zombie-bashing scene was reportedly choreographed to the song before clearance was secured, and Pegg reportedly wrote to Brian May personally to request permission.
What’s the story behind the scene where they throw records at a zombie?
Wright and Pegg reportedly contacted artists for permission to trash their vinyl on screen. Sade reportedly gave clearance without hesitation to have her Diamond Life album destroyed.
Were any big stars nearly cast?
Kate Winslet was reportedly approached but declined, and Helen Mirren reportedly turned down the mother role. Wright said he was relieved about Winslet, fearing her fame would capsize the film.
Are there any famous cameos?
Yes, including Martin Freeman, Tamsin Greig, Matt Lucas, and Reece Shearsmith, plus Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland. Nick Frost was making his film debut.
What did George A. Romero think of it?
Romero reportedly watched it alone in a Florida cinema and approved. He later invited Pegg and Wright to appear as zombie cameos in his 2005 film Land of the Dead.
Did it win any awards?
Yes, it won Best Screenplay at the British Independent Film Awards, Best British Film at the Empire Awards, and Best Horror Film at the Saturn Awards. It also tied for Best Screenplay at the Bram Stoker Awards.
Was it a box office success?
Made on a budget of about 6 million dollars, it earned roughly 38.7 million dollars worldwide. It holds a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and quickly gained cult status.
Where was the Winchester pub filmed?
The Winchester exterior was the Duke of Albany pub in South London, which was reportedly converted into flats in 2008. Filming took about nine weeks across North London locations and Ealing Studios in 2003.
