Some movies are legendary, but others go beyond that; they redefine cinema and create a brand new genre while leaving a lasting impact on both the movie industry and film fans alike. No film better sums this up than George Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead. And now, a new film will give viewers a look behind the scenes of this legendary movie.
According to Deadline, a new movie will chronicle the making of the legendary film. The making-of film will be a collaboration between The Walking Dead episode director and special-effects make-up legend Greg Nicotero and Mosaic Founder Jimmy Miller.
Talking with Deadline, Nicotero said that the idea for the film came from listening to people talking at Romero’s memorial service, specifically the stories people shared about the film’s strange creation process. Nicotero has confirmed that he will be directing the picture, and Nicotero and Miller will be producing along with Brian Witten and M. Riley. Nicotero also confirmed that he has the blessing of Romero’s widow, Suzanne DesRocher-Romero, and will consult with her during the process. There is currently no writer attached to the project.
Nicotero describes the film by saying:
“What I want to do is an Ed Wood-style movie that shows the heart and character of this guy, with the backdrop this Magnificent Seven version of a bunch who had no f*cking idea of what they were doing, getting together to make Night of the Living Dead.”
Nicotero is a life-long fan of Romero’s work, saying: “I put George in the same category as Tobe Hooper or Wes Craven — these young maverick renegade filmmakers who were bucking the system.”
In the interview he goes on to say:
“George was one of the first people to buck the system. When people said, ‘You’ve got to move to California, you have to be in Hollywood,’ he said, ‘No I don’t. I have Hollywood right here.’ He was loyal to his crew, to his town, and he continued to make all of his movies in Pittsburgh. That was another way of George saying, ‘I’ll do things the way I want to.’ Jimmy and I wanted to celebrate him, and also our home in Pittsburgh where he made his movies.”
Hitting screens in 1968, Night of the Living Dead is considered the first modern zombie movie, and it revolutionized filmmaking. The film was co-written, directed, and edited by Romero, and was made on a tiny budget of around $125,000. It spawned many sequels and imitators and maintains a massive cult following today.