George Romero says Hollywood won't finance indie zombie films

5 July 2017

George Romero said Hollywood won't finance a zombie film anymore unless it's a blockbuster.

George Romero

The 77-year-old filmmaker is known for the series of gruesome and satirical zombie movies beginning with 'Night of the Living Dead' and continuing with 'Dawn of the Dead' and 'Day of the Dead', but although his films have been successes and received critical acclaim Romero claims Hollywood is reluctant to make films about the undead.

Speaking to Indie Wire, the filmmaker said: "I harbour a lot of resentment, I used to be the only guy on the zombie playground and unfortunately Brad Pitt and 'The Walking Dead' have made it Hollywood-ised. I was ready to do another one, a $2 million to $3 million one and nobody will finance a zombie film now. It's not really resentment. I've had a terrific run."

The comments come after Brad Pitt, who starred in 'World War Z', and David Fincher have been confirmed to team up to do a sequel to the zombie apocalypse film.

Romero is currently working on a new zombie movie 'Road of the Dead', an automotive take on the undead, and he co-wrote the movie with Matt Birman who will step into the director's seat.

However, the filmmaker said it was strange stepping back into the genre he helped create half a century ago.

He said: "Of course, but mine have always been political. It's not gore, it's not just horror - I've always tried to put a little something in there. I felt that I almost found a niche, but it was bound to happen. There was no way to prevent that from happening."

Romero also confessed that he didn't like the Oscar-winning movie 'Moonlight' and admitted to voting for 'La La Land' instead.

He said: "I had heard all the hype and all the stuff about it. 'It'll make you weep' but I don't know, there was something about it that just didn't appeal to me.

"I vote in the Academy and I would up voting for 'La La Land' just because I thought it set about a purpose and it accomplished it.

"I didn't think anything else was actually that good or accomplished."