The film is scheduled for a June 21 release, and it has had its share of celebrities surrounding it. Representing Brad Pitt’s foray into the undead genre, the film has garnered attention from other big name actors: Ed Harris and Bryan Cranston, who were both considered for Pitt’s role but who had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
How hopeful is Viacom that the zombies will triumph? Max Brooks, author of the book, revealed earlier this year that his first book, The Zombie Survival Guide, and a second film have been optioned as potential follow-ups to World War Z.
What else has been infected?
Video games– that’s what. This should be no surprise, though. One of the most successful video game franchises ever is the zombie epic Resident Evil, created in 1996 by the Japanese video game company Capcom. But, it’s lived much longer than that. It has led to over 20 related video games, live action and animated films, novel adaptations, and comic books. It is estimated that the films alone have earned close to $1 billion.
Currently, video game publisher Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) is making an effort to capitalize on the undead phenomenon. The most recent offering in its Call of Duty series, Black Ops II, features a mode in which the player finds himself in a world overrun by zombies.
In fact, this is the third game from the series to feature a Zombie mode, and most people don’t believe this will be the last. According to Activision, Black Ops 2 brought in $500 million in worldwide sales within 24 hours of its release, and it was the first video game in history to make $1 billion in fifteen days after its release.
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) hasn’t stopped there. On March 19, it released The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. The game, which features two main characters from the tv series, Merle and Daryl, is a prequel to the first season of the television series. Although initial reviews of the game have been mixed, Activision has proven itself as a dominant force in the video gaming world. And, with so many characters and plots to explore, there is no reason to suggest that Activision couldn’t redeem itself in another Walking Dead offering.
Will you profit from the apocalypse?
The multi-million dollar, zombie genre has come along way from George A. Romero’s 1968 cult-classic, Night of the Living Dead, which was filmed on a $114,000 budget. Whether it’s television, movies, or video games, the zombies have invaded, and investors should take notice of this alternative play in the entertainment sector. If Resident Evil has taught us anything, it’s that The Walking Dead franchise has lots of ways to live on.
The article How The Undead Can Breathe Life into Investors’ Portfolios originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Scott Levine.
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