The Living Dead franchise is one of the best horror comedy franchises we can think of. The first film in the franchise, Return of the Living Dead, arrived in theatres almost four decades ago. In that time, we have been treated to four sequels, including two direct-to-television installments. Now, almost 20 years after the franchise’s last release, it appears that a reboot is on the way.
The Living Dead Media is the force behind this reboot. The film’s blurb reads, “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.”
Living Dead Media also shared its excitement about the project. The company wrote, “We are excited to resurrect this storied franchise for current fans and new generations of zombie fans.” We also know that Steve Wolsh, the director behind Muck and Kill Her Goats, will helm the reboot based on a screenplay he wrote.
In a time when many movies are bombing at the box office, horror movies have surprisingly held steady. The latest Scream installment grossed almost $170 million at the box office against a $35 million budget and laid the foundations for yet another sequel.
Insidious: The Red Door, currently showing in cinemas has also proven popular with audiences. It opened with $31 million less than two weeks ago and has since earned $122 million against a $16 million budget.
Because of this, there is no better time to reboot a horror franchise or produce a sequel than now. Of course, there is no guarantee that a Return of the Living Dead reboot will go big at the box office – by the time the reboot is ready to hit theaters, audiences might have moved on to a new genre.
The franchise has a cult following, though, and we are sure that a new release, if it stays true to the franchise’s canon, will be a good thing for its fan base, at the very least. It also has the pull of being the most recognizable name in the game.
Apart from the blurb and Wolsh’s involvement, we have little to no information about the reboot, including potential members of the cast and release window. Given that all of Hollywood is currently shut down with the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, we don’t expect this to change anytime soon.
If and when there is a new update on the project, you can rest assured we will bring it to your notice.
