SCOOP: Romero talks about LAND OF THE DEAD

Plus: could there one day be a CREEPSHOW 3?

By Patrick Sauriol     August 30, 2004
Source: "Cenobyte"

Last weekend RUE MORGUE held their Festival of Fear horror expo in Toronto's Metro Convention Centre. For three days fans converged on the con to see many of horror's masters assemble and share their stories of working on the set, creating creature effects and crafting the cinematic nightmares of the genre. The expo's Guest of Honor was NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD creator George A. Romero, and if you were wondering if the man would have any news to share about the state of development on his fourth DEAD film, you're in luck. Thanks to a reader that attended the Romero panel we've now got the latest news straight from the director himself...

"Saw Mr. Romero talk today at the Rue Morgue horror festival in Toronto...some of this may be older news but here's what the discussion included:

"He talked as openly as he could about LAND OF THE DEAD. He says production starts in about two weeks here in Toronto, and has had discussions with Dennis Hopper about what I'm assuming would be a major role... although he made sure to make it clear nothing was signed, but that he had high hopes. He also talked a bit about CGI and how it may be used in the movie, saying it will more than likely be used to flesh out mass zombie scenes but that he still prefers the personality that 100+ extras bring. He says the movie will more than likely get a restricted rating and he'll have to cut it down a bit depending on where it's being shown but that there will be a DVD version containing the directors cut.

"As for the basic plot, he said it has a similar feel to the captive zombie plot of DAY OF THE DEAD, except theres a few more of them and they are still learning... but the good news is that there will be no running zombies ala the remake of DAWN earlier this year (he found that a bit cheezy but a good action film). He mentioned that Tom Savini has a cameo role in the movie if they can get him cleared to work up here, but Savini seems to think it will happen so fingers crossed. Also the two guys who wrote SHAWN OF THE DEAD will get cameos if they can work out the timing... he says SHAWN OF THE DEAD is the best zombie film hes seen since his own flicks.

"As for DIAMOND DEAD, he says he really wants to get this movie made and that it's still on the plate but that it's unusual concept has made it a hard sell. But he says he's ready to go on it whenever he gets the greenlight. He also mentioned that he would be VERY interested in doing another CREEPSHOW movie... nuff said."

["Cenobyte" opened the box this time, we swear!]


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