Twilight of the Dead completed its Kentucky shoot in September, with Kate Beckinsale and Betty Gabriel leading the cast. Deadline’s October 2 report confirms that George A. Romero’s planned farewell to his zombie saga has made it through filming, 9 years after his death in 2017.
Romero developed the treatment with Paolo Zelati. The project is billed as the 7th and final installment of the Living Dead series, which began with Night of the Living Dead in 1968. Romero’s last film in that cycle was Survival of the Dead in 2009.
Zelati told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021 that the idea grew from asking Romero where the zombies went after Land of the Dead. Suzanne Romero, his widow, told the outlet: “This is the film he wanted to make. And while someone else will carry the torch as the director, it is very much a George A. Romero film.”
The announced story follows humanity’s remaining survivors on a devastated Earth, facing conflict between rival factions as the undead continue to evolve. Earlier pitches placed the action on a tropical island, but that setting hasn’t been confirmed for the version that was filmed. No returning character from the earlier movies has been announced.
Doron Paz and Yoav Paz, whose films include Jeruzalem and The Golem, directed. They took over from Brad Anderson in May 2026, when Beckinsale also replaced Milla Jovovich.
Gabriel, known for Get Out, remained attached through the changes. The directors have promised a film that honors Romero’s voice while delivering a “visceral, terrifying, impactful experience for today’s audience that resonates beyond the screen.”
Greg Nicotero handled the makeup effects, bringing a direct connection to Romero’s work: his career began on Day of the Dead, and he later worked on Land of the Dead. Daily Dead reported his involvement after he discussed the project at Living Dead Weekend in June.
The previously announced screenplay credits belong to Joe Knetter, Robert Lucas and Zelati. Bloody Disgusting’s coverage of the May production changes didn’t establish whether that script was being revised. Beckinsale’s and Gabriel’s character details haven’t been announced.
Roundtable Entertainment developed the production in partnership with Suzanne Romero, who spent years working to bring her husband’s treatment to the screen. She died on June 24, 2026, according to the George A. Romero Foundation’s statement published by Bloody Disgusting.
Magenta Light Studios holds the U.S. and Canadian theatrical rights, with a cinema release planned. A release date and trailer haven’t been announced. Although the film is being presented as Romero’s concluding chapter, Deadline reports that the producers have left open the possibility of further movies if it succeeds.
