# Return of the Living Dead (2026 film)
*Return of the Living Dead* is an unreleased American comedy-horror film directed and written by Steve Wolsh, set 18 months after the events of the 1985 film *The Return of the Living Dead*. A new leak of the reanimation gas Trioxin 2-4-5 puts a small Pennsylvania town on the brink of a zombie outbreak during Christmas 1985.[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) It is the first entry in the franchise since 2005.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31350873/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Steve Wolsh[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_of_the_living_dead_2026) |
| Genres | Comedy, horror, science fiction, holiday[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) |
| US theatrical release | November 13, 2026[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/return-of-the-living-dead-2026/) |
| Production status | Filming / in production; unreleased as of October 2026[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) |
| Setting | Small Pennsylvania town, Christmas 1985, 18 months after the UNEEDA warehouse events in Louisville, Kentucky[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) |
| Continuity | No characters from earlier films return except the zombie Tarman[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) |
| Production companies | WithAnO Productions, Living Dead Media, Mayday Movie Productions[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_of_the_living_dead_2026) |
## Premise
The film is set in a small Pennsylvania town at Christmas 1985, 18 months after the events at the UNEEDA medical supply warehouse in [Louisville, Kentucky](https://www.edgepedia.org/louisville-kentucky), where a toxic gas first caused the dead to rise in the 1985 film. A new leak of Trioxin 2-4-5 brings the town to the edge of a zombie outbreak.[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) According to the production listing, no characters from the earlier films return except the zombie Tarman.[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) GamesRadar+ describes the film as a new outing set directly after the original, comparing its approach to the 2018 *[Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween-2018-film)* reboot's discarding of earlier sequels.[5](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-horror-movies/)
## Cast and production
The announced cast includes [Devon Sawa](https://www.edgepedia.org/devon-sawa), Alexander Ward, Kynlee Heiman, and [Casimere Jollette](https://www.edgepedia.org/casimere-jollette).[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/return-of-the-living-dead-2026/) Steve Wolsh serves as director and writer, with Christopher W. Fox and Rodger May as executive producers.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/return-of-the-living-dead-2026/) The production companies are WithAnO Productions, Living Dead Media, and Mayday Movie Productions.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_of_the_living_dead_2026)
The film was announced in July 2023, with a scheduled production start in 2025.[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead) The release was delayed from an original Christmas 2025 target, production continued into 2026, and Devon Sawa joined the cast during that period.[6](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV34QiLd1Wg) As of October 2026 the production listing records the film as in production and unreleased, with a main release listed for November 2026.[1](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead)
## Release
The scheduled US theatrical release date is November 13, 2026.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/return-of-the-living-dead-2026/) VOD, 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD dates had not been announced.[7](https://www.releases.com/p/return-of-the-living-dead-2026) Coverage of the film's status is not uniform: IMDb lists the film under a 2027 title,[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31350873/) and a GamesRadar+ preview states that the film was originally due in November 2026 but that there had been no solid recent updates.[5](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-horror-movies/)
## Legal disputes
The production has been accompanied by litigation over franchise rights. The conflict pits Living Dead Media against several performers from the 1985 film, including [Linnea Quigley](https://www.edgepedia.org/linnea-quigley), Beverly Randolph, and Thom Mathews, who have objected to commercial use of their images without authorization; a Spanish-language report stated that a judge indicated the rights to the original film belong to MGM, and that the legal conflict did not necessarily mean the new film was canceled.[8](https://www.abandomoviez.net/noticia.php?film=46756) Living Dead Media LLC filed a US trademark application for RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD on July 11, 2025, covering printed comic books, with first use dates of December 25, 2024; the mark was published for opposition as of September 22, 2026.[9](https://www.trademarkia.com/return-of-the-living-dead-99278447)
A competing project also emerged. DragonSTUDIOS, describing itself as the copyright owner of *Return of the Living Dead* for the preceding twelve years, announced plans for a new feature film titled *Trash's Revenge* as part of a proposed "Return of the Living Dead Universe,"[10](https://horrornews.net/180951/update-on-rotld-originals-vs-living-dead-media-legal-wars/) and its production company site lists an official *Return of the Living Dead* sequel for release in 2026 or 2027.[11](https://dragonmovieclassics.com/projects/)
## References
1. [Return of the Living Dead – Production Listing, M&E](https://mande.net/production-listings/film/return-of-the-living-dead)
2. [Return of the Living Dead (2027) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31350873/)
3. [Return of the Living Dead (2026) – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_of_the_living_dead_2026)
4. [Return of the Living Dead (2026) – TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/return-of-the-living-dead-2026/)
5. [Upcoming horror movies coming in 2026 and beyond – GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-horror-movies/)
6. [What Happened to the New Return of the Living Dead Reboot? – Wolfman's Got Nards, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV34QiLd1Wg)
7. [Return of the Living Dead (2026) Release Dates – Releases.com](https://www.releases.com/p/return-of-the-living-dead-2026)
8. [Un juez pone en jaque la nueva "El Regreso de los Muertos Vivientes" – Abandomoviez](https://www.abandomoviez.net/noticia.php?film=46756)
9. [RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD Trademark – Trademarkia](https://www.trademarkia.com/return-of-the-living-dead-99278447)
10. [Update on ROTLD Originals vs. Living Dead Media legal wars – Horror News Network](https://horrornews.net/180951/update-on-rotld-originals-vs-living-dead-media-legal-wars/)
11. [Projects – DRagon Movie Classics](https://dragonmovieclassics.com/projects/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Horror and slasher series film entries › 2020s releases*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license