Ever since it was first uploaded to the site back in 2010, ZvG: Zombies Vs. Gladiators has been one of Amazon Studios’ most buzzed-about projects — and one of its most active. Dozens of writers and filmmakers have offered their takes on the material. And, more recently, some big names have been involved: Horror icon Clive Barker will be doing a rewrite. And comics legend Neal Adams created an animatic.

So what has all this been like for the project’s original writers, Michael Weiss and Gregg Ostrin?

“The whole process has been a lot of fun,” Weiss said. “And we really do appreciate all the interest, debate and enthusiasm about the project.  Clive is a master and we can only imagine that he will take the script to the next level.”

As for Adams, “I was also thrilled to hear of his involvement in the project as well. I loved the trailer cut to his illustrations,” Ostrin said. “As a kid who came of age during the glorious 1960s, I have literally grown up enjoying Mr. Adams’ work.”

But it’s not just the celebrity aspect that excites Ostrin and Weiss. “It is incredibly flattering and also empowering to see the excitement around the script, because it only validates our initial belief in the concept,” Ostrin said. “You also need to remember, when we came up with the idea and wrote the script, the only zombie project on the books was World War Z.  Walking Dead hadn’t happened, neither had Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. …  The whole zombie-mash up thing then exploded at once.  But we have always felt this script was unique in that it combines history with a zombie origin story.”  

Ostrin’s take on Amazon Studios: “To me this seems like the perfect way to bring together the best of creativity, fanboy enthusiasm and pop culture in an effort to develop a script that will have the benefit of an established presence on the web before it ever gets made.”