Last Updated on December 18, 2024 by Angel Melanson
Living Dead Media has an incredible Christmas present for fans of the horror comedy franchise Return of the Living Dead: the first teaser for a new film in the franchise, its first in twenty years. Tarman makes his much-anticipated return to the big screen, lurching on-screen as he drags a Christmas tree through an abandoned, snow-covered cemetery, presumably for something a bit more sinister than just lighting up his own grave for the holidays.
In much the same vein as 2022’s Scream, the new film apes the original’s title exactly, set in a small Pennsylvania town in 1985, eighteen months after the events of the original film. While we don’t know who will appear on-screen to battle the Tarman, we do know that it won’t be a reboot or remake of the franchise, and will honor the original’s legacy, according to director Steve Wolsh.
The film also features special effects work by industry legend Tony Gardner, who’s worked on some of your favorite monsters, from Billy Butcher to the villainous Chucky and beyond. “[To be able to] up the horror, but be true to its roots,” Gardner said of the new and scarier Tarman, “I feel like I'm the perfect person for the job… and I'm really excited.” The entire teaser was produced without CGI or green screen, harkening back to the age of the original film and the renaissance of practical effects in horror.
The original Return of the Living Dead celebrates its fortieth anniversary next year, having hit theaters in 1985, almost twenty years after John Russo co-wrote the iconic Night of the Living Dead, which created the zombie as we know it today. Separate from director George A. Romero’s own follow-ups to the film, it was popular enough to spawn four sequels (including two direct-to-TV features) and create a legacy of its own in not only the zombie genre, but horror as a whole. This new film hits theaters in almost exactly a year, a perfect way to cap off the anniversary year for one of the goopiest, most iconic franchises of all time.
The new Return of the Living Dead hits theaters next Christmas. Check out the brand-new teaser below:
