STACK #210 Apr 2022

FEATURE MOVIE

SEEDING THE SEQUEL “Ironically the Wyrmwood: Apocalypse script is much closer to the first draft we wrote of the original film. The opening scene that you will see, it’s the post-title sequence. The title comes up and then we open with this man alone in an electrified enclosure with a fence around it, and all these zombies trying to get in. And he’s got a zombie that’s attached to and runs his BBQ, and he’s got a zombie tied up to a stake that he uses for boxing practice. It’s got a birdcage around its head so it doesn’t bite him. So that scene was written 12 years ago. That’s the first thing we wrote for Wyrmwood , then decided to keep it for a sequel instead, so this project was always meant to be something we could serialise.”

with a laugh, “so I don't know what I'm even talking about. This one is a bit more pro. This would be Mad Max 2 crossed with Dawn of the Dead , with a cyborg zombie thrown in just for good measure.” With our whistle wetted, we ask what became of the ill-fated Wyrmwood TV series continuation. “We did have a TV series

STACK chats with affable director Kiah Roache-Turner about his homegrown zombie sequel, Wyrmwood: Apocalypse . Words Glenn Cochrane W yrmwood: Road of the Dead was a little Aussie zombie

planned. After we made the first one I just wanted to try television, but it had to be good. If we can't make the greatest ever zombie television series then we don't want to do it. “So we wrote the pilot and a very detailed pitch bible and shopped it around. We went to LA and talked to a bunch of good

movie that came out of nowhere in 2014. Made on the smell of an oily rag, it took the popular walking dead horror sub-genre and slapped a coat of Mad Max onto it. The result was a badass, ultra-violent and highly stylised thrill ride that was frayed at the edges and incredibly gritty. With a total larrikin attitude, director Kiah Roache-Turner subverted an ever-weary genre, invigorating it with a new lore unto its own, and helped to usher in a new era of Ozploitation. Roache-Turner and his creative partner, brother Tristan, followed Wyrmwood with the retro-

• Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is out on Apr 20

companies and I realised quickly that a), the television world is very hard to crack and b), we weren't going to get a budget that I was confident with to be able to make it the best ever. But then I knew that if we made a film I could knock it out of the park, so we just went back to the idea of making a feature and I'm really glad we did.” With Wyrmwood Apocalypse hitting home entertainment formats on April 20, Kiah offers his unabashed thoughts on the film and what it means to him. “You get to the end of a thing and you kind of know if it kicks arse or not. I love the film. I've seen it 150 times now and I'm like, ‘This is fine, there's nothing wrong with it.’ If you

of Power Rangers through a gleeful stutter of excitement, he elaborates on his previous comparison. “The first one is like Mad Max 1 crossed with Dawn of the Dead – and to be clear, it's

centric sci-fi comedy Nekrotronic before putting the wheels in motion for a follow-up to their runaway debut hit. “I'm sure you'll love this one,” an exuberant Kiah tells STACK over Zoom. “If you're a Wyrmwood fan, it’s sort of bigger. It's got big clanging balls that the other one didn't have. Actually, you know what it is? It's Mad Max 1 and Mad Max 2 . Mad Max 1 is kind of creakier but it sets up the whole world. And Mad Max 2 is just like pedal to the metal… it's kind of similar with our thing, you know?” Kiah has an infectious enthusiasm for his new film, and horror movies in general, and like a kid trying to explain the latest episode

the George Romero Dawn of the Dead . When I made Wyrmwood , I didn't mind that it was a bit gritty and it was a little bit of a throwback to the old ‘70s exploitation movies. I really wanted it to feel like Evil Dead 2 with better lighting. “Actually Evil Dead 2 was pretty well lit,” he backtracks

make a film that you're proud of… you're 80 per cent there, ya know? So I'm pretty happy with what we've done.” As for a third installment, Kiah says he’s raring to go. “I'd love to make Wyrmwood 3 . I've already started jotting down ideas. As long as they keep letting me do it, I'll do it.”

DON'T MISS

17