Warm Bodies Author Addresses TV Series Adaptation Plans

Author Isaac Marion’s Warm Bodies was adapted into a successful 2013 movie, which paved the way for the announcement in 2019 that the concept was being adapted into a TV series. Marion recently confirmed that whatever the plans were for that adaptation have seemingly been paused indefinitely, though also admits that he is only minimally involved in those discussions so he can’t give a definitive answer on whether that project will move forward. He also confirmed that the TV series secured the rights to all four of the books in the series, with Warm Bodies only being the first entry, so there are a number of storytelling avenues the potential series could explore.

“There was a time when it seemed like a sure thing, contracts were drawn up, etc., but for some reason, it keeps sliding around,” Marion revealed to SYFY WIRE. “Talks of a movie sequel morphed into a TV series, which was actually announced as ‘in development’ a couple of years ago, only to mysteriously go silent. I’m only peripherally involved at this point, so I don’t actually know what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s all a big tease for me. But they did option all four books for TV, so it’s still possible. To me, Warm Bodies is just the opening act of the story — it’s actually 18 percent of the total word count — so it would be a dream to see the rest of it on screen someday.”

The original film sits at 81% positive reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and went on to take in $117 million worldwide, making it a relatively successful hit. With TV series like The Walking Dead and, more recently, The Last of Us becoming hits with audiences, it seems like as good a time as any to further dive into the zombie world on the small screen, though whatever the status of the series might be, it sounds like audiences shouldn’t be expecting anything anytime soon. 

Marion’s website describes the original book, “His name starts with ‘R.’ That’s all he remembers. But what’s in a name when you’re a walking corpse just waiting to decompose? ‘R’ wanders the ruins of post-apocalyptic America with no idea who he is, how he got here, or why he has to eat people. He just follows the crowd: a mindless mob that has spread across the globe and reduced civilization to ruins. And then he meets Julie. This fiery young survivor is a blast of color in R’s gray landscape, and he begins to remember the humanity he’s lost. But their unlikely romance becomes something much bigger, sparking a revolution that wakes the Dead — and other, darker forces. Warm Bodies is a dead man’s search for life. It’s a young woman’s fight for a better world. It’s hope that refuses to die.”

Stay tuned for possible updates on the Warm Bodies TV series.

Are you hoping the TV series moves forward? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!