‘Night of the Animated Dead’ Reimagines George A. Romero’s Zombie Classic
George A. Romero’s 1968 cult classic zombie flick Night of the Living Dead is getting an animated reboot. Entitled Night of the Animated Dead, the zombie genre is returning to its roots in this highly anticipated reimagination.
Widely seen as the horror film that pioneered the “zombie” subgenre and the way the undead are portrayed within that genre, Night of the Living Dead paved the way for the popular canon despite not using the term “zombie” once. Following its premiere, the film grossed $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally. Earning 250 times its budget, it became one of the most profitable film productions of all time. The feature inspired five sequels by Romero, including Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and Land of the Dead. The legendary director’s final zombie movie, Twilight of the Dead, is currently in development despite his death in 2017, based on a treatment he had written before his death.
Starring Duane Jones and Judith O’Dea, Romero’s original low-budget film follows a group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse as the dead rise to attack the living. Tensions come to a head as night falls and features an ending that is equally as relevant today as it was fifty years ago.
Night of the Animated Dead will include many of the same characters from the original flick, starring voice actors Dulé Hill as Ben, Katharine Isabelle as Barbara, James Roday Rodriguez as Tom, Katee Sackhoff as Judy, and Josh Duhamel as Harry Cooper. Will Sasso, Jimmi Simpson, and Nancy Travis are also casted. Directed by Jason Axinn, who most recently directed 2019’s animated horror film To Your Last Death, will collaborate with producers Michael J. Luisi, Ralph E. Portillo, Robert Feldman, and Kevin Kasha. Executive producers Richard Potter, Thomas DeFeo, and Jamie Elliott will oversee.
The animated adaptation will mark a transition of the zombie genre into a modern age, all while honoring its classic roots and the father of the genre himself, George, A. Romero. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment plans to release Night of the Animated Dead on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital this fall.