You’ve seen the posters. Maybe you’ve even scrolled past the trailer on Tubi while looking for something to watch at 2:00 AM. But there is a massive amount of confusion floating around regarding the Festival of the Living Dead. People keep asking: Is this a sequel? Is it a remake? Is it just another low-budget zombie flick trying to cash in on a name? Honestly, the answer is a bit of all three, and it's weirder than you think.
Released in April 2024, this movie stepped into a minefield. When you invoke the "Living Dead" brand, you aren't just making a horror movie. You're poking a sleeping giant. You are messing with the legacy of George A. Romero. Fans are protective. They’re skeptical. And they have every right to be.
The Romero Connection Nobody Saw Coming
Let’s be real for a second. Most "Living Dead" movies that aren't directed by Romero feel like knock-offs. However, Festival of the Living Dead has a pedigree that makes it hard to dismiss immediately. It was directed by the Soska Sisters—Jen and Sylvia Soska. If you know anything about modern indie horror, you know "The Twisted Twins." They’re the minds behind American Mary and the Rabid remake. They don't usually do generic.
The plot picks up fifty years after the original 1968 Night of the Living Dead. It treats the events of that movie as historical fact. That’s a bold swing. In this universe, the "living dead" incident happened, the world moved on, and now, people are basically bored. They’ve turned a tragedy into a party. It’s meta. It’s a bit cynical.
The story follows Ash (played by Ashley Moore) and her friends who head to a music festival held at the site of the original outbreak. Yeah, it’s a classic "kids go to the woods" setup, but the context changes everything. They aren't just unlucky; they are literally celebrating the ground where people were eaten fifty years prior. It’s a commentary on how we consume trauma as entertainment.
Why the Reviews Were So Divisive
If you look at the IMDb scores, they’re all over the place. Some people loved the Soska Sisters' stylistic choices. Others felt it was too "Tubi-core."
Why the hate?
Mostly because of expectations. When people hear "Living Dead," they want gritty, social commentary wrapped in bleak, black-and-white hopelessness. What they got was a vibrant, neon-soaked, fast-paced slasher-zombie hybrid. It’s colorful. It’s loud. It’s purposely trashy in spots.
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The budget shows, sure. You aren't getting World War Z level CGI here. But that's not the point. The Soskas are known for practical effects and a specific "grindhouse" aesthetic. If you go in expecting a $100 million blockbuster, you’re going to be disappointed. If you go in expecting a creative, slightly unhinged expansion of a classic lore, you might actually have a good time.
One thing that genuinely works is the chemistry between the leads. Camren Bicondova (who many recognize as Selina Kyle from Gotham) brings a level of intensity that helps ground the more ridiculous moments.
Breaking Down the "Living Dead" Lore
There’s a specific rulebook for Romero zombies. They’re slow. They’re relentless. They represent the inevitability of death.
Festival of the Living Dead tries to respect those rules while acknowledging that modern audiences find slow zombies "easy" to beat. The tension in the film doesn't come from a single zombie being fast; it comes from the sheer overwhelming volume of them and the stupidity of the humans involved.
- The "Blame" Factor: In the original, the cause was vaguely attributed to radiation from a Venus probe.
- The "Festival" Spin: This movie leans into the idea that we haven't learned our lesson.
- The Social Satire: Romero used zombies to talk about racism and consumerism. The Soskas use this festival to talk about influencer culture and the "do it for the 'gram" mentality.
Is it as deep as the original? No. Is it trying to be? Maybe a little, but it’s mostly trying to be a fun horror movie.
Production Realities and the Tubi Factor
We have to talk about Tubi. The streaming service has become the new "straight to DVD" but with a much higher viewership. Festival of the Living Dead was a Tubi Original. This carries a certain stigma, but that stigma is changing. Tubi is funding projects that traditional studios won't touch because they’re too niche or too risky.
The Soska Sisters have been vocal about the constraints of the shoot. They had a limited timeframe. They had a limited budget. When you watch the film with that lens, the craftsmanship is actually impressive. They managed to create a sense of scale at a music festival without having 10,000 extras.
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The cinematography uses a lot of tight shots and clever lighting to hide the edges of the production. It’s a masterclass in "making it work."
Common Misconceptions and Fact-Checking
Let's clear the air on a few things that keep popping up in forum discussions.
First, this is not a reboot of Night of the Living Dead. It’s a "legacy sequel" in spirit, though not officially sanctioned by the Romero estate in the way Land of the Dead was. It exists in its own pocket of the public domain. Because the original 1968 film famously fell into the public domain due to a copyright error, anyone can technically make a "Living Dead" movie. This is why we see so many of them, but this is one of the few with actual talent behind the camera.
Second, the "Living Dead" title isn't just clickbait here. The film actually tries to bridge the gap between 1968 and 2024. It references the events of the farmhouse. It treats Ben and Barbra as real historical figures.
Third, people keep saying it's a "zombie comedy." It isn't. While it has some dark humor, it plays the horror relatively straight. It’s more of a survival thriller with a heavy dose of irony.
The Practical Effects vs. CGI Debate
Horror purists usually hate CGI blood. It looks thin. It looks fake. In Festival of the Living Dead, there is a mix.
The Soskas love practical gore—it's their brand. You can see the tactile nature of the makeup in the close-up shots. However, because it’s a modern production with a tight schedule, there are definitely digital blood spatters and some CG environmental tweaks. Does it take you out of the movie? For some, yes. For others, it’s just part of the modern B-movie experience.
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The zombie designs themselves are actually quite good. They don't look like "people in grey face paint." There’s a layered, decaying look to the "older" zombies that pays homage to the idea that these things have been around, or at least the threat has been around, for decades.
How to Actually Enjoy This Movie
If you want to get the most out of Festival of the Living Dead, you have to stop comparing it to Dawn of the Dead. That’s a losing battle. Instead, look at it as a sibling to movies like Bodies Bodies Bodies or Tragedy Girls. It’s a "Gen Z" horror movie that happens to be set in a legendary universe.
- Watch the original first. It’s on YouTube for free. Remind yourself of the bleakness.
- Lower the "Prestige" filter. This isn't A24. It’s a midnight movie.
- Pay attention to the background. The Soskas love hiding Easter eggs for horror fans.
The Future of the Living Dead Brand
Where do we go from here? The success (or lack thereof, depending on who you ask) of Festival of the Living Dead shows that there is still a massive appetite for this IP. People want zombies. But more than that, they want the feeling of the 1960s and 70s horror boom.
There are other projects in the works, including "official" sequels from the Romero estate (like Twilight of the Dead). The landscape is getting crowded. Festival of the Living Dead might end up being a footnote, but it’s a fascinating one because it’s the first time we’ve seen such a modern, "internet-age" take on the original premise.
Actionable Takeaways for Horror Fans
If you're a filmmaker or a hardcore fan, there are a few things you can learn from how this movie was handled:
- Study Public Domain: Understand why this movie exists. The copyright error of 1968 created a unique opportunity for creators to play in a world they didn't invent.
- Embrace the "B" Movie: Not every film needs to redefine the genre. Sometimes, providing a 90-minute escape with some cool kills and a social nudge is enough.
- Follow Directors, Not Just Titles: If you didn't like this movie, check out American Mary. It will give you a better idea of what the Soska Sisters are capable of when they have more control and a different set of constraints.
- Support Indie Streaming: Whether you liked the film or not, the fact that Tubi is producing original horror is good for the industry. it keeps people working and keeps the genre alive.
The Festival of the Living Dead isn't a masterpiece. It isn't a disaster. It’s a gritty, neon-lit experiment that tries to honor the past while making fun of the present. It’s worth a watch on a Friday night when you want something that doesn't require a philosophy degree to understand, but still gives you a little something to think about regarding how we treat history and tragedy in the age of social media.
Next Steps for Your Horror Deep Dive:
- Audit the Public Domain: Look into the "Night of the Living Dead" copyright story; it’s a cautionary tale for every creator.
- Compare and Contrast: Watch the 1990 Tom Savini remake of Night of the Living Dead immediately after Festival. The difference in tone and practical effects execution is a perfect lesson in horror evolution.
- Track the Soskas: Keep an eye on the Soska Sisters' upcoming projects, as they tend to push boundaries in the "body horror" subgenre more than in the "zombie" space.