Report: George Romero’s ‘Empire of the Dead’ Lands at AMC

Increased interest in zombie properties is nothing new with The Walking Dead in its sixth season, as we saw in May with news that George Romero comic Empire of the Dead had entered TV development. Now, one of the artists claims that The Walking Dead’s own home AMC has won rights to the zombie-vampire hybrid thriller.

Take this one with a grain of salt for the moment, as it seems at least unusual of AMC to get into bed with another undead property, even with names like Marvel or horror master George Romero attached. That said, artist for Romero and Marvel’s Empire of the Dead Arthur Suydam claimed in a recent Wizard World interview that:

The series that I just finished up, for Marvel Comics, as a matter of fact … so this is me and George Romero … this just got signed to AMC. This is gonna be the new big zombie series on AMC, it’s expected to be this one right here.

When last we heard, A Most Wanted Man and Tusk backers Demarest announced plans to develop Romero’s 15-issue graphic novel, as published by Marvel Comics. Romero and longtime partner Peter Grunwald were to write the series, executive producing with Demarest’s Sam Englebardt and William D. Johnson.

So reads the initial comic synopsis:

Welcome to New York City years after the undead plague has erupted—but just because Manhattan has been quarantined, don’t think that everyone inside is safe! Not only do flesh-eaters roam within Manhattan, but there’s another ancient predator about to take a bite out of the Big Apple!

AMC will return to the comic book well with the upcoming Preacher, but could even more zombies arrive with Empire of the Dead?