Creepshow TV Series Coming From Walking Dead’s Greg Nicotero

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that make-up legend and The Walking Dead executive producer Greg Nicotero is bringing George A. Romero and Stephen King’s classic 1982 anthology film Creepshow to the small screen via the horror streaming service Shudder. Nicotero will direct, executive-produce and supervise creative elements on the Creepshow TV series.

Nicotero met his makeup effects mentor Tom Savini during a Pittsburgh set visit to Creepshow, and later did makeup for Romero films such as Day of the Dead, Monkey Shines, Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead.

“’Creepshow’ is a project very close to my heart!” said Nicotero. “It is one of those titles that embraces the true spirit of horror… thrills and chills celebrated in one of its truest art forms, the comic book come to life! I’m honored to continue the tradition in the ‘spirit’ which it was created.”

“’Creepshow’ is one of the most beloved and iconic horror anthologies from two masters of the genre, George A. Romero and Stephen King,” Shudder general manager Craig Engler stated. “We’re thrilled to continue their legacy with another master of horror, Greg Nicotero, as we bring a new ‘Creepshow’ TV series exclusively to Shudder members.”

The Creepshow TV series will be an anthology of original stories, each made by a different director, with the series scheduled to kickoff on Shudder in 2019. Nicotero’s KNB EFX Group will create the creature and makeup effects on the show, which will be produced by The Cartel with Monster Agency Productions, Taurus Entertainment, and Striker Entertainment.

The original 1982 Creepshow was directed by George A. Romero from a screenplay by Stephen King that paid tribute to the EC horror comics (ala “Tales From the Crypt”) of the 1950’s. The film featured stars such as Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson and Ed Harris, and grossed $21 million at the box office. It was followed by Creepshow 2 in 1987, directed by the first film’s cinematographer Michael Gornick from a screenplay by Romero, once again based on short stories by King, grossing $14 million. An in-name-only Creepshow 3 was released direct-to-video in 2006 with no participation from Romero or King, which is why the Romero-produced 1990 anthology Tales from the Darkside: The Movie is often referred to by fans as “the REAL ‘Creepshow 3,'” as it also includes a King story originally intended for Creepshow 2.