Rise Of The Living Dead is a proposed prequel to the groundbreaking Night Of The Living Dead, but is the movie undead or alive? Audiences weren't ready for Night Of The Living Dead when the indie horror movie hit screens in 1968. Director George A. Romero's stark, documentary-style black and white film established the modern-day zombie genre and featured scenes that are shocking. The producers of the film failed to secure its copyright, which led to countless rip-offs in the decades that followed.

While Romero would work in other genres, he was always closely tied to zombie movies as he was their originator. His 1978 sequel Dawn Of The Dead is another genre landmark, while Day Of The Dead is a bleak classic. His Dead series has inspired everything from The Walking Dead to Resident Evil and World War Z, and just when the genre feels like it's been milked dry, something like Train To Busan comes along. Sadly, George A. Romero passed away in 2017, but he left behind an incredible legacy of work.

Related: Why George Romero Remade Night of the Living Dead

For years, Romero's filmmaker son George Christian Romero has been trying to put together a prequel to the 1968 movie dubbed Rise Of The Living Dead. With a glut of other zombie movies and TV shows, is this prequel still on the cards?

Rise Of The Living Dead's Story

rise of the living dead four horsemen ja hager

In 2014 an Indiegogo campaign for Rise Of The Living Dead - then dubbed Origins - revealed a detailed synopsis. The story will start six years before the outbreak seen in Night Of The Living Dead, where a scientist named Dr. Cartwright researches a way to sustain human life in the event of a potential nuclear conflict. Instead, his research into life after death is co-opted by the government and - eventually - leads to the zombie plague. Based on artwork, a team of undead soldiers dubbed The Four Horsemen will play a big part too.

The Prequel Is Currently Called Rise

Night of The Living Dead Zombies

The movie reached it's funding goals on Indiegogo in 2014 but the road to production for Rise Of The Living Dead has been slow. George Christian Romero has offered updates over the years, including casting choices like Dimitri 'Vegas' Thivaios (Rambo: Last Blood) and glimpses of artwork from artist J.A. Hager, but the movie has yet to move ahead.

The filmmaker also revealed on Romero Pictures website in 2019 that following issues with the rights owners behind the Return Of The Living Dead franchise, the movie's title has been changed from Rise Of The Living Dead to simply Rise. Romero also revealed a big reason behind the long development is refusing to compromise his vision for the story.

Rise Will Happen... Eventually

Zombies in Night of the Living Dead

George C Romero is pressing ahead with Rise Of The Living Dead, regardless of the delays or roadblocks. The film would need to be something special to live up to the quality of Night Of The Living Dead, however, and fans remain skeptical of the need for a prequel explaining away the mystery behind the zombie outbreak.

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