Sue Johnston and Robert Lindsay join Generation Z cast
- Generation Z, an apocalyptic Channel 4 comedy drama series by Ben Wheatley, is filming now
- The cast list includes Sue Johnston, Paul Bentall, Robert Lindsay and Anita Dobson
- Wheatley describes it as "a project very close to my heart", adding "I hope everyone loves it as much as we do"
Channel 4 has revealed a selection of first-look images alongside the cast joining its "high octane and darkly comic" series, Generation Z.
The show has been been written and directed by Ben Wheatley, whose credits include Sightseers, Happy New Year, Colin Burstead and Kill List. Currently in production and filming in Wales, the 6-part series is described as "a coming-of-age parable for our very strange times - cut with a heavy dose of outlandish gore".
The premise is described as follows: "Set in the fictional town of Dambury, the kind of place with stark opportunities and not much to do. Grey, unassuming, forgotten. It's the last place you'd expect the apocalypse to begin... But when an army convoy overturns outside a care home, a chemical leak starts to have an adverse effect on the residents there. The OAPs, led by Cecily and Frank, played by Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) and Paul Bentall (The World's End), escape the grasp of the army looking to contain their angry, violent, insatiable hunger for raw flesh.
"On the night of the outbreak, teenagers - Charlie, Kelly, Steff and Finn, played respectively by Jay Lycurgo, Buket Komur, Lewis Gribben and Viola Prettejohn - are living normal teenage lives: tinnies, messy feelings, complex relationships and ignoring their A-Level prep. But the gang abruptly find themselves at the centre of the virus when Kelly's nan Janine, played by Anita Dobson (EastEnders) becomes infected and attacks her.
"Just because it's the end of the world, it doesn't mean your home life and relationship problems comes to a halt, as the gang come up against the zombie horde, battling with their parents, friendship betrayals and old family secrets rearing their ugly heads. And life is just as complicated for the zombies, with the virus fuelling single-minded desires, bringing a whole new dimension to their zombie rampage. Meanwhile, Finn worries for grandad-figure Morgan, played by Robert Lindsay (My Family), when she comes to the realisation that there might be more behind the chemical spill. Just what exactly was being transported?
"Generation Z is about intergeneration justice and community breakdown that boldly satirizes a world where truth is stranger than fiction, exploring not just the political fault lines in our society but also the very real issues facing teenagers today."
Supporting cast across the six hour-long episodes will include Ava Hinds-Jones in her first TV role, Johnny Vegas, Robert James-Collier, Suzanne Ahmet, T'Nia Miller, Sophie Stone, Chris Reilly, D'Angelou Osei-Kissiedu, Ellie-Mae Siame, Robin Hill, Gareth Tunley, John Hollingworth, Maanuv Thiara, Rebecca Humphries, Ellora Torchia, Andrew Kazamia, Garrick Hagon and Mark Monero.
Ben Wheatley says: "It's been amazing working on Generation Z with The Forge and Channel 4. It's my first original series and a project very close to my heart. I hope everyone loves it as much as we do."
Channel 4's Rebecca Holdsworth says: "We are so excited that Ben Wheatley has chosen C4 as the place to make his first original TV drama. Generation Z promises to have all of the unique visual flair and mischievous spirit that characterises Ben's film work; it is in turn wickedly funny, deftly political, and delivers on the kind of eye-popping shocks and thrills that mean this is shaping up to be a zombie drama like no other."
Transmission details will be revealed in due course.