‘Night of the Living Dead’ and ‘When the Black-Eyed Children Knock’ Vertical Microdramas On the Way From Room418

A newly established horror-focused microdrama business is adapting George A. Romero’s genre classic Night of the Living Dead ahead of its full launch, reports Deadline.

Also on the slate is a screen adaptation of Ben Sobieck’s When the Black-Eyed Children Knock, a popular Wattpad story about a sleep-deprived new father who begins to question his sanity when mysterious children with pitch-black eyes start appearing outside his home, begging to be let inside. 

L.A.-based Room418 is positioning itself as a studio and platform that puts “vertical-first originals at the center of a dedicated destination for horror fans, alongside curated programming in vertical, horizontal and mixed formats.”

A slate of acquired shows will launch the vertical video app, with original productions following.

An invite-only beta version of the Room418 app will launch this fall ahead of a commercial launch, featuring a slate of licensed horror content.

Ten original and adapted projects have been optioned and are in development as well.

Romero’s 1968 horror classic Night of the Living Dead has been in the public domain since its original release due to an error by its original distributor.