Almost forty years ago, writer/director Dan O’Bannon delivered one of the most highly entertaining zombie movies of all time with The Return of the Living Dead (watch it HERE)… and in the process, spawned a franchise. There was the goofy comedy of The Return of the Living Dead Part II, the “Romeo and Juliet with zombies” love story Return of the Living Dead ///, and a couple sequels nobody paid much attention to, Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis and Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave. The franchise has been dormant for eighteen years – but it may be revived very soon. It has come to our attention that Muck and Kill Her Goats director Steve Wolsh, who also happens to be the CEO of the company Living Dead Media, is developing a reboot of The Return of the Living Dead.
The only information on this reboot can be found on the Living Dead Media website, where it says: Our reboot of Return of the Living Dead will expand the existing world created by the original 5 films, while staying true to the R-rated, sci-fi, horror, dark comedy roots adored by fans of the cult classic around the world for the last 35 years. We are excited to resurrect this storied franchise for current fans and new generations of zombie fans.
Also listed as potential projects on the website are a National Lampoon collaboration called Dead Serious (described as “Animal House in a funeral home”), a version of The Return of the Living Dead that would use the original script for the film, and sequel to Night of the Living Dead called The Night Returns.
Night of the Living Dead alums Rudy Ricci, John A. Russo, and Russell Streiner crafted the initial story for The Return of the Living Dead, intending for it to be a follow-up to Night. Then O’Bannon got involved and did a complete overhaul, telling the following story: When foreman Frank shows new employee Freddy a secret military experiment in a supply warehouse, the two klutzes accidentally release a gas that reanimates corpses into flesh-eating zombies. As the epidemic spreads throughout Louisville, Ky., and the creatures satisfy their hunger in gory and outlandish ways, Frank and Freddy fight to survive with the help of their boss and a mysterious mortician.
The film stars Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., John Philbin, Jewel Shepard, Brian Peck, Linnea Quigley, Mark Venturini, Jonathan Terry, and Allan Trautman.
We’ll keep you updated on Living Dead Media’s Return of the Living Dead reboot as more information is revealed. In the meantime, let us know: are you interested in seeing a new Return of the Living Dead movie? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.