The iconic zombie franchise Return of the Living Dead is shambling back to theaters with a holiday twist, as Living Dead Media releases first-look footage of its Christmas-themed sequel set for release in 2025. Watch the trailer in the space above.
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The teaser showcases the franchise’s signature Tarman zombie dragging a Christmas tree through a snow-covered cemetery during a blizzard. Director Steve Wolsh (Muck, Kill Her Goats) spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the production’s commitment to practical effects over CGI.
“Utilizing our widescreen anamorphic lenses, we captured the practical snow effects swirling against the night sky that gives it an amazing look and texture; it’s going to blow people away seeing an entire film made like this,” Wolsh explained about the footage, which was shot without green screen or digital effects.
[Related: Return of the Living Dead Revival Faces Legal Complications]
Set in a small Pennsylvania town during Christmas 1985, the story takes place 18 months after the events of Dan O’Bannon’s original film. Living Dead Media clarifies this is not a reboot but “a brand-new adventure,” noting that fans shouldn’t expect returning characters given “their terrible fates in the original.” According to Wolsh, the film “won’t in any way trample the original film’s legacy,” and “audiences can expect to be welcomed back into the dark humored, sexy, edgy, Trioxin fueled world horror fans first encountered in 1985.”
The production has enlisted special effects veteran Tony Gardner (Zombieland, Hocus Pocus, the Chucky franchise) to reimagine the zombie designs. Gardner and his team at Alterian Inc. were tasked with updating the iconic Tarman character, combining contemporary techniques and materials with traditional practical effects to create a more frightening yet faithful version of the beloved monster.
The new sequel marks a significant return for the franchise, which has been dormant since 2005. The original 1985 film, starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, and Linnea Quigley, earned $14.2 million on a $4 million budget and spawned four sequels: Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988), Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993), and Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis and Rave to the Grave (both 2005).
This revival comes amid renewed interest in the zombie genre, following successes like The Last of Us and the announcement of Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later. The production team hopes to reinvigorate the genre by returning to practical effects and real locations, eschewing the digital effects that some contend have diminished the raw intensity and gritty realism that made zombie movies so impactful in recent years.
