We Are Zombies (2024) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A group of small-time criminals becomes entangled in corporate exploitation, escalating zombie violence, and the collapse of the old social order.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Black Market Misadventures

Freddy and Maggie participate in illegal zombie collection work connected to Don. Corporate collectors target them after repeated losses and capture them during a personal argument.

Key Events

• Zombie Collection Scheme — Freddy and Maggie participate in an illegal collection scheme routed through Don's black-market operation. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Don Location: McKenna residence
• Damaged Zombie Payment — Because the collected zombie is damaged, Don pays the thieves only half-price. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Don Location: Black-market meeting place
• Corporate Reprimand — Hannity blames Stanley and Rocco for repeatedly losing collection jobs to the thieves. Characters: Hannity, Stanley, Rocco Location: Coleman Corporation
• The Proposal Argument — Freddy reveals his proposal plan, provoking an argument about his nonexistent relationship with Maggie. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie Location: Urban hideout
• Collectors Strike — Stanley and Rocco capture the distracted thieves during their argument. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Stanley, Rocco Location: Urban street

Ransom and Reinvention

Stanley and Rocco kidnap Mrs. Neard, forcing the thieves to seek money through Otto Maddox. At the same time, Hannity's failed experiment becomes the foundation of his corporate takeover.

Key Events

• Collectors Strike — Stanley and Rocco capture the distracted thieves during their argument. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Stanley, Rocco Location: Urban street
• Rocco's Accidental Transformation — Rocco accidentally shoots himself and becomes a zombie during the confrontation. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Stanley, Rocco Location: Abandoned building
• Mrs. Neard Kidnapped — Stanley and Rocco reveal that they kidnapped Mrs. Neard and demand ransom money. Characters: Stanley, Rocco, Mrs. Neard Location: Mrs. Neard's home
• Otto's Corpse Contract — Don connects the thieves with Otto, who offers $50,000 for actress Debbie Jones's corpse. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Don, Otto Maddox Location: Don's meeting place
• Project Zoltan Demonstration — The experimental gas causes an undead test subject's head to explode during a corporate demonstration. Characters: Hannity, Bob Coleman Location: Coleman Corporation laboratory
• Hannity Seizes Control — After Bob Coleman dies and resurrects, Hannity tests the gas on him and Dr. West to seize control. Characters: Hannity, Bob Coleman Location: Coleman Corporation laboratory

The Substitute Zelvirella

The cemetery job fails because Debbie Jones's corpse is unusable. The group recruits Jane, whose resemblance to Zelvirella makes her a substitute for Otto's performance.

Key Events

• Hannity Seizes Control — After Bob Coleman dies and resurrects, Hannity tests the gas on him and Dr. West to seize control. Characters: Hannity, Bob Coleman Location: Coleman Corporation laboratory
• Empty Cemetery Corpse — The thieves discover Debbie Jones's corpse is too skeletal to be reanimated for Otto's performance. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie Location: Country Hill Cemetery
• Ransom Call Violence — Stanley renews the ransom demand, while Rocco shoots Mrs. Neard and causes her transformation. Characters: Maggie, Stanley, Rocco, Mrs. Neard Location: Country Hill Cemetery
• Jane Recruited — The thieves recruit Jane because she resembles the fictional character Zelvirella. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella Location: Jane's performance venue
• Journey to Otto's Show — The group escorts Jane toward Otto's private suite through a series of mishaps and an encounter with a state trooper. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella Location: Road to Otto's performance
• Otto's Private Suite — The thieves bring Jane to Otto, but the deal becomes unstable when her identity as Zelvirella is questioned. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella, Otto Maddox Location: Private suite above the art show

Gas Beneath the Show

Hannity releases Project Zoltan gas at Otto's art show, turning the undead violent. Otto dies, Don loses the money, and the surviving group is framed as bioterrorists.

Key Events

• Otto's Private Suite — The thieves bring Jane to Otto, but the deal becomes unstable when her identity as Zelvirella is questioned. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella, Otto Maddox Location: Private suite above the art show
• Zoltan Gas Attack — Hannity releases the gas, causing zombies on the show floor to become violent toward humans. Characters: Hannity, Jane / Zelvirella, Otto Maddox, Freddy Mercks, Maggie Location: Otto's art show
• Otto's Death — An undead Mother Theresa kills Otto, while Don escapes with the money and is later overwhelmed below. Characters: Jane / Zelvirella, Otto Maddox, Don, Freddy Mercks, Maggie Location: Private suite above the art show
• Framed as Bioterrorists — Jane takes the dropped briefcase while the group learns they have been framed for the attack. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella Location: Otto's art show

The New Zombie World

Hannity is defeated after a violent confrontation, while Stanley steals the briefcase and becomes infected. Two weeks later, the surviving characters shelter together during the global zombie apocalypse.

Key Events

• Hannity's Final Defeat — Stanley betrays Hannity, Freddy attacks him, and Maggie decapitates Hannity after he shoots Freddy. Characters: Hannity, Stanley, Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella Location: Art-show building
• Outbreak Survival — Two weeks later, the survivors shelter in a diner while zombie Stanley wanders the wasteland clutching the briefcase. Characters: Freddy Mercks, Maggie, Jane / Zelvirella, Rocco, Mrs. Neard, Stanley Location: Freddy's Uncle Dave's diner

Story Breakdown

• Zombie Society — The opening establishes a world where docile zombies coexist with humans while facing institutional discrimination.
  • Second-Class Undead — Zombies are treated as living-impaired citizens and remain socially disadvantaged.
  • Illegal Collections — Freddy and Maggie participate in Don's black-market zombie collection work.
• Collector Pursuit — Hannity sends Stanley and Rocco after the thieves when repeated interceptions cost the corporation money.
  • Corporate Reprimand — Hannity orders the collectors to recover the missed $25,000.
  • Rocco Transformed — Rocco accidentally shoots himself and becomes a zombie during the confrontation.
• Ransom Pressure — Stanley turns Mrs. Neard's kidnapping into leverage against the thieves.
  • Videotaped Demand — Stanley and Rocco reveal the kidnapping and demand ransom money.
  • Mrs. Neard Shot — Rocco later shoots Mrs. Neard, causing her to become a zombie.
• Zoltan Takeover — Hannity exploits Project Zoltan to turn corporate failure into a seizure of power.
  • Failed Demonstration — The experimental gas causes an undead test subject's head to explode.
  • Corporate Seizure — Hannity tests the gas on Bob Coleman and Dr. West after Bob's death and resurrection.
• Zelvirella Substitute — The thieves replace an unusable corpse with Jane, an undead performer resembling Zelvirella.
  • Cemetery Failure — Debbie Jones's corpse is too skeletal for Otto's planned performance.
  • Jane Recruited — Jane agrees to travel with the thieves toward Otto's private suite.
• Art Show Collapse — Hannity's gas attack destroys Otto's event and turns a criminal deal into a public catastrophe.
  • Violent Undead — Project Zoltan makes zombies attack humans across the show floor.
  • Otto's Death — An undead Mother Theresa kills Otto while Don flees with the money.
• Final Survival — The surviving group defeats Hannity but enters a world transformed by the viral gas.
  • Hannity Defeated — Maggie decapitates Hannity after he shoots Freddy.
  • Diner Refuge — The survivors shelter at Freddy's Uncle Dave's diner while zombie Stanley wanders outside.

Directed by

François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell

Key Cast

• Alexandre Nachi — Karl Neard
• Derek Johns — Freddy Mercks
• Megan Peta Hill — Maggie
• Vincent Leclerc — Seth Mckenna
• Benz Antoine — Hannity