Through the upcoming eighth season of The Walking Dead, zombie guru and special make-up effects artist Greg Nicotero has been invaluable to the series. He and his team have created the series’ signature “walkers,” and he’s moved behind-the-camera as an executive producer and a director. Now, Nicotero has his own TV series, Shock Theatre, coming to AMC, and he’s ready to share a new brand of horror.
While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Nicotero revealed that Shock Theatre is a mash-up of horror, comedy, and sci-fi that he’s currently writing and executive producing. It also sounds like Shock Theatre will take the Black Mirror anthology approach, with a different story and a cast for every episode. Nicotero also noted that each episode would have its own vibe and tone.
“Shock Theatre is my homage to ‘50s horror movies,” explained Nicotero. “I’ve always loved that genre, the idea that people would take things that they were terrified of in society at that time and turn them into some sort of fantastic outrageous sci-fi monster movie. Back then it was the Cold War, it was going to outer space, it was radiation…I always loved that. I thought that there was something so fun about it. And that’s what Shock Theatre is.”
Nicotero added that “Shock Theatre is taking relevant themes today and putting that kind of fun Shaun of the Dead twist on them. I think Shaun of the Dead is probably the closest in tone that I can ever think about for Shock Theatre because it was funny and thrilling, and you love the characters, and it was scary, and had great moments in it, and was all-around completely entertaining. That’s the goal.”
According to the EW report, Nicotero hopes to begin filming Shock Theatre during the next Walking Dead hiatus, but a premiere date has yet to be announced by AMC.
Are you excited to see Nicotero’s new series? Scare up some thoughts in the comment section below!
Images: Universal Studios/AMC
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