Magnet nabs release rights for George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead

Magnet Releasing, the genre division of Magnolia Pictures, recently announced that it has acquired U.S. rights to George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead, the latest in the legendary and beloved cult series of zombie films, which premiered 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 and terrifying vision that combines viscerally gory undead action with biting social commentary and a return to the black humor and playfulness of his seminal Dawn of the Dead, according to reports. Magnet will release the film as part of its Ultra VOD program this spring, debuting it on VOD platforms nationwide, one month prior to 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, who believe that the undead must be destroyed without exception – and the Muldoons, who 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, which ultimately erupts into brutality and violence.

About the deal Romero said,

“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.”