Despite being released 50 years ago this year, Night of the Living Dead remains one of the greatest — and most revolutionary — horror films ever made. And despite the franchise continuing with director George A. Romero’s spiritual sequels Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and others, along with writer John A. Russo’s Return of the Living Dead films, the original never had a true sequel. But that’s about to change.
The license-holders of the film, Living Dead Media, have announced they’ll be producing a film based on an unproduced sequel script they say was written by Night of the Living Dead ‘s original writers and producers in the 1970s. The movie will be an officially-licensed sequel to Night of the Living Dead, and they plan on releasing it next year. Here’s the announcement from the company, via their website:
Night of the Living Dead first brought zombies to the silver screen in 1968. The world was unprepared for the film’s flesh starved ghouls, which resulted in a groundbreaking and commercial success. It remains one of the most influential and revered horror films of all time and now sits in the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art for its cultural significance. Written by John A. Russo and directed by George A. Romero, Night of the Living Dead created the foundation for the five Return of the Living Dead films that gave us TARMAN and his famous catch phrase “More Brains!”, popularizing brain eating zombies and defining the modern dark comedy-horror genre in the process. Romero’s Trilogy of the Dead series also owes its roots to the classic. In addition, Night of the Living Dead is not only credited with spawning a generation of zombie films, but all modern horror films. That history and Night of the Living Dead’s place on the Mt. Rushmore of horror films is known by most horror fans and people all over the world. But, unknown to most is that in the 1970s, the original writers and producers of Night of the Living Dead penned a sequel to their masterpiece. A sequel that inexplicably has gone unproduced for over forty years – until now. Living Dead Media has brushed away the dirt from this amazing follow up to a classic and brought together a great team to produce the new film.
It’s unclear whether both Romero and Russo had some involvement in this long-lost sequel script. Nor is it known at this time what any of the plot details will be. But the sequel is apparently a thing that’s being made, and Living Dead Media’s website is promising more information in the near future, so watch out for that, Barbara.
