Before his passing in 2017, the iconic figure in horror cinema, George A. Romero, had been diligently crafting one last entry into the realm of zombie movies, a project aptly titled “Twilight of the Dead.” Over the years, there were occasional hints of progress on this undead opus, and now, exciting news has emerged. Brad Anderson, known for his work on films like “Session 9,” “The Machinist,” and “Blood,” has been tapped to take the directorial reins, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

According to THR’s exclusive report, production is slated to commence later this year, bringing Romero’s final vision to life. Brad Anderson, whose own career was deeply influenced by Romero’s groundbreaking 1968 classic, “Night of the Living Dead,” expressed his enthusiasm for the project. He stated, “George Romero’s 1968 classic ‘Night of the Living Dead’ may have been the first real horror movie I ever saw, and its shock value, keen social relevance, and even the means by which it was made were all hugely inspirational to me. This too is a zombie movie in which limbs fly and heads roll, but one that is also about social transformation, one that asks the question: What is it to be human? It is also a horror movie with ‘heart’ and, dare I say, hope.”

The collaboration for “Twilight of the Dead” sees the George A. Romero estate teaming up with the Los Angeles-based financier-producer Roundtable, positioning the film as the “final installment” in Romero’s esteemed ‘Dead’ franchise. While Romero conceived the original treatment for the project, the screenplay was crafted by Joe Knetter, Robert Lucas, and Paolo Zelati.

George A. Romero’s legacy of groundbreaking zombie films includes “Dawn of the Dead,” “Day of the Dead,” “Land of the Dead,” “Diary of the Dead,” and “Survival of the Dead.” “Twilight of the Dead” ventures into a novel setting: a tropical island, injecting fresh life into the zombie terror genre.

The film’s narrative promises to explore the darker facets of humanity from the perspective of the last surviving humans, caught in the midst of warring undead factions.

The production team includes notable names such as Suzanne Romero, John Baldecchi, Sarah Donnelly, Paolo Zelati, and Ardvella Entertainment’s Stephanie Caleb as producers, with Dominic Ianno, Alex Dundas, Jason Resnick, Chris Roe, and Luis Riefkohl serving as executive producers.

Suzanne Romero conveyed her excitement, stating, “I’m delighted to be joining forces with Roundtable to bring the eerie evolution of Romero’s universe to the screen. Roundtable impressed me with their long-term and deep love of George’s work. I believe they have the vision to produce the best version of this movie that honors the Romero legacy. I can’t wait to start filming!”

John Baldecchi, Head of Scripted at Roundtable, added, “We’re thrilled to be working alongside Suzanne, Paolo, and Stephanie to bring the final installment of this epic series. It is the perfect ending to one of the greatest horror legacies of all time, with a powerful and timely message about how humanity is the cause of its own destruction, over and over and over again.”