I believe there is no doubt that Night of the Living Dead is one of the best and most influential horror films in history, which not only redefined the zombie genre but still holds up perfectly for one rewatch after another. What is not as well known, even among the most cinephile, is that it has had 5 sequels so far, some better than others that… well, it’s better to let them pass. Now, the director himself, George A. Romero, will finally put an end to the saga once and for all.
Braaaains…!
It has been nine years since we lost the legendary director, who died in 2017 after a battle with lung cancer, and, in addition to leaving us with a sense of orphanhood, he also left us a new sequel to Night of the Living Dead titled Twilight of the Dead. Romero co-wrote a script treatment that was apparently going to star Milla Jovovich but has ultimately fallen into other wise hands.
In the end, Kate Beckinsale (Underworld, Total Recall) will be responsible for bringing to life the latest installment of the franchise, which takes place in a land dominated by zombies where the last vestiges of humanity are trapped between warring factions and an ever-evolving threat of the undead. I don’t want to mislead anyone: after the latest installments of the saga, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be anything out of the ordinary.
The Paz brothers, who will be in charge of the direction, have stated that “entering the world of Romero is the greatest privilege for any genre filmmaker. It is more than a continuation, it is a responsibility. We are committed to honoring his voice and providing a visceral, terrifying, and impactful experience”. We will have to see if they fulfill this and are capable of giving a proper farewell to one of the masters of horror.