Special trailer release and panel welcomed by zombie fans ‘HERD’ goes to L.A. Comic Con

The cast of “HERD” hold a panel at Los Angeles Comic Con in December 2022. “HERD” is a zombie movie which filmed in Southeast Missouri last year.

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“HERD,” a zombie movie filmed in Southeast Missouri, wrapped up editing and debuted its trailer last month at Los Angeles Comic Con.

“It was great to be included among the other panels and events at L.A. Comic Con and our panel went great,” said producer James Allerdyce of Framework Productions. “It was great to be embraced by the zombie, horror and comic fans there.”

Director Steven Pierce joined the panel with actors Ellen Adair (“The Sinner”), Jeremy Holm (“Mr. Robot”), Amanda Fuller (“Orange Is The New Black”) and Timothy V. Murphy (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Westworld”). Horror screenwriter BJ Colangelo was the moderator.

The cast of “HERD” share their experiences at L.A. Comic Con. From left are panel moderator BJ Colangelo, Amanda Fuller (“Orange Is The New Black”), Timothy V. Murphy (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Westworld”), Ellen Adair (“The Sinner”), Jeremy Holm (“Mr. Robot”) and director Steven Pierce.

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“Good horror films — especially zombie films, in my opinion — have a really strong take on the world and they have some metaphors built into them without being heavy-handed or preachy,” said Pierce, during the panel. “They’re still entertaining, they still function just as an entertainment value film, but they have something to say as well.”

He and Allerdyce worked hard to keep the core of the film personal, he explained, and it revolves around the ways people interact and handle crises. The production website also listed herd mentality and human bonds as key themes.

“It’s a very, very character-based, performance-based zombie movie, so we tried to balance that and give both things,” Pierce explained.

Holm, who plays the character Big John Gruber, told attendees, “Thematically, there’s something in the film that mimics some bigger problems in our society, and I’ve not seen a zombie film that does it the way HERD does.”

Adair, who leads as Jamie Miller, spoke about how much she enjoyed the script and her time on set.

“I personally felt while we were making the movie that we were making something really special, and that everyone involved was so talented and giving it 100% of their heart, 100% of their brain,” she said.

“HERD” was filmed in Poplar Bluff, Doniphan, Van Buren and Cape Girardeau during the spring of 2022. Pierce is a native of Southeast Missouri. The movie generated even more local buzz because Framework Productions cast residents as extras and zombies, and chose young stage actress Susannah Wheeler to play a middle school version of Jamie.

“I hadn’t really gotten the opportunity before, but I always thought that it would be cool to be in a movie,” Wheeler said in an interview after filming.

The cast also includes Corbin Bernsen of “L.A. Law,” Adult Swim voice actor Dana Snyder and Mitzi Akaha, who has acted in commercials and programming in the United States and Japan.

The movie releases later this year. Framework Productions will announce the wider trailer release and movie premier as those details are available.

More information is available at the studio’s websites, herd.film and thefp.tv, as well as the Framework Productions Facebook page and on Instagram at @herd.film.