Halfway through 2021, the AU review was invited to visit the set of Wyrmwood: Apocalypse which was being filmed under strict COVID-19 regulations in the outskirts of Sydney. It’s the long-awaited big-budget sequel to Australia’s “most pirated film” Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, a title the team are proud to boast about, which was released in back 2014.
Wyrmwood: Apocalypse premiered at the Sydney Film Festival where it won Best Feature Film and will soon be smashing into our theatres, soaked in blood.
We spent a day on set and chatted with lead actor Luke McKenzie (“Rhys”) who returns to the sequel in a new role. In Part I of our interview, we chatted with Luke about the difficult COVID era, his favorite weapons, working on the set and what fans can expect from this unique ‘Mad Max meets Dawn of the Dead’ Australian take on the zombie genre.
In Part II of our sit-down, Luke talks indepth about how this Aussie entry into the zombie universe sets itself apart from the pack. “Zombie lore is so deep and we’ve mentioned the methane but I really think the unique thing on this [film] in the international market is the way the virus has mutated the zombies and how that manifests,” Luke says about how the film sets itself apart from other zombie productions. “The biggest thing … is the humour. The Aussie tongue-in-cheek, larrikin humour definitely comes through. It’s high octane. It really is Mad Max. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is a post-apocalyptic zombie film that follows soldier Rhys who lives in a zombie-infested Australian wasteland. Rhys is on an arc of redemption as he turns against his evil bosses and joins forces with a group of rebel survivors to help rescue a girl who holds the cure to the virus.
Head here to watch Part I of our interview with Luke McKenzie.
Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is in theatres from tomorrow, February 10th, and you can view the trailer here:
