For fans of retro zombie horror, the news that the Return of the Living Dead franchise is set to crawl out of the grave again is hugely exciting. The original satirical horror-comedy led to four sequels, highlighting its franchise potential.
Now, there’s a new release on the way, set 18 months after the events of Dan O’Bannon’s original. With zombie content currently hugely popular in the mainstream, this revival could lead to a brand-new franchise across modern entertainment channels.
New Film Set to Be a Sequel of the 1985 Classic
The great news about the new film is that it’s likely to have elements to appeal to old and new fans alike. Instead of going for a loose remake of the original, it’s set to be a direct continuation of the 1985 classic. This means that it can still use some of what made that film so well-loved, but it can also bring many of its own ideas into play. On top of that, there’s no need to compare it to the original, meaning there’s less chance of disappointment from diehard fans.
According to reports, the new entry is set 18 months after the events of the original film and will bring back the iconic Tarman zombie. However, with the relatively unknown Steve Wolsh in the director’s chair and WithAnO Productions listed as distributor, it may be more of a niche film than a widespread mainstream release.
Zombies Enjoying a Huge Resurgence in Popular Culture
Even if Return of the Living Dead doesn’t get a huge cinematic release, it could attract a lot of interest and potentially get picked up by streaming services. That’s because zombies are even more popular now than they were back in the 1980s, with a vast array of content based on the undead beings.
The Walking Dead is often credited with bringing zombies back into the mainstream, although the characters in the show never refer to the monsters by that name. The AMC series ran for 11 seasons and spawned numerous spinoffs, a few of which are still running. On top of that, it was represented in mobile games such as The Walking Dead: Road to Survival and The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land. There are various slots available at bingo sites UK too, including The Walking Dead: Cash Collect and The Walking Dead 2.
A Sprawling New Franchise?
If Return of the Living Dead is able to capitalise on this widespread interest in zombies in the mainstream, it could attract the interest of Netflix or one of the other major streaming platforms.
Horror icon Devon Sawa is set to play a starring role in the new offering, and it could be possible to build a new franchise around him. A streaming service may decide to follow The Walking Dead’s model and create various spinoffs to ensure that it attracts as many fans as possible.
There’s no official release date for Return of the Living Dead yet, but this is one that fans of the 1980s title should watch out for eagerly. If it gets the backing of a major streaming service, it could lead to more new films and other spinoffs.