After five films and a 20-year break, the Return of the Living Dead franchise is getting a brand new sequel, and the team announced during the holiday break that Tarman’s return to the screen will be ready for mass consumption during next year’s holiday season. The film’s official website previews, “the film continues production into the new […]
After five films and a 20-year break, the Return of the Living Dead franchise is getting a brand new sequel, and the team announced during the holiday break that Tarman’s return to the screen will be ready for mass consumption during next year’s holiday season.
The film’s official website previews, “the film continues production into the new year while eyeing a theatrical release in November of 2026.” Stay tuned and read on for more info.
From Living Dead Media and director Steve Wolsh (Muck, Kill Her Goats), Return of the Living Dead will be a brand new Christmas-themed sequel to the horror-comedy classic.
Devon Sawa (“Chucky,” Heart Eyes) stars alongside Casimere “Cash” Jollette (Tiny Pretty Things), Kynlee Heiman (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever), and Alexander Ward (“American Horror Story”) as the iconic zombie known as Tarman.
The new story takes place in a small Pennsylvania town over Christmas, and it’s set in 1985, 18 months after the events of the original film. “Fans of the film will know not to expect to see any returning characters, given their terrible fates in the original,” Living Dead Media explains. According to Wolsh, this is not a reboot or a remake, but a brand-new adventure and it won’t in any way trample the original film’s legacy. “Audiences can expect to be welcomed back into the dark humored, sexy, edgy, Trioxin fueled world horror fans first encountered in 1985.”
The production has called in SFX legend Tony Gardner (Zombieland, Hocus Pocus, Chucky franchise) to establish the zombie look for the story. Tony and his team at Alterian Inc. were first tasked with creating a Tarman true to the original but evolved, more realistic, and scarier, using decades of experience and modern technology and material to create amazing old-school practical effects. Gardner said, “[To be able to] up the horror, but be true to its roots, I feel like I’m the perfect person for the job… and I’m really excited.”
One of the greatest horror-comedies of all time, Dan O’Bannon’s 1985 movie The Return of the Living Dead ended up launching a franchise that to date includes five total movies.
