There was a 20 year gap between George Romero’s “Day Of The Dead” and his “Land Of The Dead.” Some parents now have kids who are slightly older than the number of years Romero sought financing to make zombie movies on his own terms. But since “Land Of The Dead,” this director has been pumping out one living dead movie every other year. Talk about sudden productivity. His latest flesh eating opus is “Survival Of The Dead” which looks at the rivalry of two families on an isolated island, struggling to maintain power as the zombies continue to outnumber them and reject their vegan ways.
Actually, we first get introduced to a group of mercenary National Guardsmen who were briefly introduced in “Diary Of The Dead” when they stole supplies from the protagonists who were riding along in their old Winnebago. These soldiers are lead by Sarge “Nicotine” Crockett (Alan van Sprang), and they are now on their own, struggling to survive in a god forsaken world. As a result, “Survival Of The Dead” is the closest thing to a direct sequel that this series has ever had.
Film Arcade recently gotten ahold of courtesy of Magnet Releasing, the official poster and trailer for George E. Romero's latest film "Survival of the Dead", which is available on demand now and hits theaters on May 28th
Immediately following the events of Diary of the Dead, SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD is the 6th film from George A. Romero to look at a world where humans are in the minority and the zombies rule.
Off the coast of Delaware sits the cozy Plum Island where two families are locked in a struggle for power, as it has been for generations. The O'Flynn's, headed by patriarch Patrick O'Flynn (Kenneth Welsh) approach the zombie plague with a shoot-to-kill attitude. The Muldoons, headed by Shamus Muldoon (Richard Fitzpatrick), feel that the zombies should be quarantined and kept 'alive,' in hopes that a solution will someday be found.
The O'Flynn's, who are clearly outnumbered, are forced to exile Patrick by boat to the mainland, where he meets up with a band of soldiers, headed by Guardsman Sarge (Alan Van Sprang). They join forces and return to the island, to find that the zombie plague has fully gripped the divided community.
As the battle between humans and zombies escalates, the master filmmaker continues to reinvent the modern horror genre with wicked humor and pointed social commentary.
The Wagner/Cuban Companies' Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today that it has acquired US rights to GEORGE A. ROMERO’S SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD, the latest in the legendary and beloved series of zombie films which bowed at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals earlier this year. Romero, one of the most influential and respected horror auteurs of all time, has created a new, terrifying vision that combines viscerally gory undead action with biting social commentary and a return to the black humor and playfulness of his seminal film, DAWN OF THE DEAD. Magnet will release the film as part of its Ultra VOD program this spring, debuting it on VOD platforms nationwide a month before its theatrical release.
Like its predecessors, GEORGE A. ROMERO’S SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD takes place in a desperate, nightmarish world where the dead walk the earth, relentlessly attacking the living. It is the story of Plum Island – a beautiful refuge whose isolation allows two powerful families to maintain a semblance of order in the wake of the zombie holocaust. But as the inhabitants slowly die off, the two clans become sharply divided: the O’Flynns believe that the undead must be destroyed without exception, while the Muldoons insist that afflicted loved ones be kept “alive” until a cure is found. The result is an escalating showdown with echoes of a classic Western stand-off that erupts in brutality and violence. “George A. Romero is an undisputed cinematic legend, and we’re honored to be bringing another installment of this incredible series of films to horror fans,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “SURVIVAL is smart, extremely fun and a worthy addition to the ‘Of the Dead’ franchise.”
Says Romero, “I’m a big admirer of the team at Magnolia. They’re creative and passionate, and I’m excited to put “Survival” in their hands.”
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia’s Senior Vice President Tom Quinn with Victoria Cook for Cinetic Media, on behalf of Art Spigel and Ara Katz of Artfire Films and Peter Grunwald of Romero-Grunwald Productions.
