Gabbi Kosmidis, a Toronto-based voice actor now at the age of 30, recalls her childhood experience watching the 2006 horror thriller Silent Hill, a film she describes as "insane" for an 11-year-old to watch. Even today, the movie gives her nightmares, which she now channels into her latest role in Night of the Zoopocalypse, a Canadian animated horror comedy. This film is looser adaptation of a short story by Clive Barker, the creator of Hellraiser.
The 92-minute film is set to be released in theaters on Friday and follows a group of animals grappling for survival after a meteor strikes and unleashes a virus that transforms their fellow zoo inhabitants into zombies. Kosmidis voices a character named Gracie, a spirited young wolf determined to halt the spread of the zombie outbreak. She teams up with a diverse group of unaffected animals, including a cantankerous mountain lion voiced by Stranger Things star David Harbour, and a mischievous ostrich played by Scott Thompson, an alum of Kids in the Hall.
Kosmidis believes that the PG-rated film can serve as an introduction to horror for children who have an interest in the genre. "I wish I had this film when I was growing up," she remarked during a virtual call with Thompson, reflecting on her early exposure to much scarier movies than she should have seen at her age.
The concept for Zoopocalypse was inspired by Barker's unpublished short story titled Zoombies, which tells the story of a child trapped in a zoo during a zombie outbreak. The idea was brought to the Canadian production company Copperheart Entertainment, where they enlisted Toronto storyboard artist Ricardo Curtis to explore the potential of transforming it into an animated family film. Curtis then collaborated with director Rodrigo Perez-Castro, who has extensive experience in animation and shares a passion for horror.
According to Curtis, Barker granted them significant creative freedom, allowing them to develop the film as they envisioned. Following a presentation of their work to Barker that he loved, the production took on a life of its own. The film is infused with Barker-esque horror elements, such as an alien chrysalis and the merging of zombie-animal flesh. However, Perez-Castro highlights their decision to focus the story on animals rather than human characters, allowing for a deeper reflection on the human condition through their animal counterparts.
Inspired by zombie films, including the 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead, which has been interpreted as a commentary on racial segregation, the creators used the film's context to address themes relevant to their own experiences during the pandemic. "We were making the movie during the pandemic, as we were all in our own bubbles," Perez-Castro recounted. He noted that just as the animals in the film have to work together despite their differences to overcome challenges, the characters illustrate the necessity of cooperation among different species.
Both Kosmidis and Thompson expressed mixed feelings about the ethics of zoos. Kosmidis commented, "I don’t love picking animals out of their natural habitat and putting them into an enclosure. I don’t necessarily agree. However, in terms of the animals that are almost extinct or need more protection, zoos can actually provide that for them." Meanwhile, Thompson playfully suggested a future where humans could find themselves in zoos, displayed by aliens, indicating a humorous critique of current zoological practices.
In a lighthearted exchange, Thompson noted that perhaps his career has prepared him well for such a scenario. "I mean, we're actors, so we're this close to being zoo animals," he joked, envisioning a director ordering them to perform, "Dance, hedgehog! Dance for your supper!" As both Kosmidis and Thompson laughed at the notion of being in an alien zoo, they emphasized the film's comedic elements despite its horror themes.
