George Romero's Twilight Of The Dead Will Be Directed By Session 9's Brad Anderson
George A. Romero, horror legend and father of the modern zombie movie, passed away in 2017. At the time of his death, he was developing the next installment in his "Dead" series: a film called "Twilight of the Dead," for which he had written a treatment with journalist and film critic Paolo Zelati. In 2021, we learned that "Twilight of the Dead" was in active development, with Romero's widow, Suzanne Romero, meeting with filmmakers to find the right director for what is being billed as George Romero's "final zombie movie."
Now, the filmmaker who will take on that daunting duty has been found. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Brad Anderson will direct the movie from a script co-written by Zelati, Joe Knetter, and Robert Lucas. Anderson's previous directing credits are primarily horror movies and psychological thrillers, with his best-known work being a combination of the two genres: "Session 9," a film about a clean-up crew who take a job clearing asbestos from an abandoned mental asylum. In a statement accompanying the "Twilight of the Dead" news, Anderson said:
"George Romero's 1968 classic 'Night of the Living Dead' may have been the first real horror movie I ever saw and its shock value, its keen social relevance, and even the means by which it was made were all hugely inspirational to me. This too is a zombie movie in which limbs fly and heads roll, but one that is also about social transformation, one that asks the question: What is it to be human? It is also a horror movie with 'heart' and, dare I say, hope."
Suzanne Romero is producing, alongside John Baldecchi, Ardvella Entertainment's Stephanie Caleb, Zelati, and Sarah Donnelly. Roundtable Entertainment has partnered with the Romero estate to produce the film, with filming expected to start later this year.
The real monsters are the friends we made along the way
Anderson's films — which include "Fractured," "The Machinist," and last year's kid-vampire movie "Blood" — frequently return to the theme of people pushed to the edge of their sanity by extreme circumstances. "Session 9" is a particular favorite among horror fans; it's never quite clear if something supernatural is going on as the tension between its small cast of characters ratchets up in the asbestos-infested boiling pot of the asylum. This certainly makes Anderson a good fit to bring one of Romero's stories to the screen. From the cruel ending of "Night of the Living Dead" to the malevolent Captain Rhodes in "Day of the Dead," the living characters are often more of a threat than the dead.
The ambition to begin filming "Twilight of the Dead" this year is notable in light of the ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood. It's likely that the producers will seek an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA, on the basis of being an indie production (neither Roundtable nor Ardvella are current WGA signatories). Anderson emphasized the movie's independent nature in his statement, continuing (per Deadline):
"George's 'indie spirit', his Do-It-Yourself approach to filmmaking — outside of the main industry; on a shoestring budget; collaborating with family and friends — is exactly how I made my first film, and to some extent still make films now. 'Night of the Living Dead,' and many of those that followed, wove together straight-up horror with pointed social commentary. This unexpected combination is what elevated George's films, and for me, it is exactly what is most exciting about 'Twilight of the Dead.'"
There's no casting news yet, but we'll bring you more information about "Twilight of the Dead" as it dawns.