George Romero ‘Empire of the Dead’ TV Series Eyes Zombies vs. Vampires

Few have managed to successfully capitalize on TV’s zombie outbreak after The Walking Dead, but if anyone could raise the dead, it’d be George Romero and Marvel. A new report suggests Romero is looking to develop a TV adaptation of graphic novel Empire of the Dead, which bites into a shocking twist on the undead apocalypse.

Per Variety, 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 will write the series, executive producing with Demarest’s Sam Englebardt and William D. Johnson.

Unlike Romero’s usual zombie lore however, Empire of the Dead introduces a unique twist in the emergence of vampires that capitalize on humanity’s weakness. 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!

No official distribution has yet been set, but could George Romero write the next generation of zombie TV? Could the small screen handle vampires and zombies in the same post-apocalyptic bloodbath?