Walking Dead producer and visual effects guru Greg Nicotero is bringing his horror mastery to Shudder, a horror/suspense streaming service by resurrecting a horror classic from television, Creepshow.
Many fans remember the iconic HBO Friday night dark comedy series, as the original Creepshow featured anthology-styled stories written by Stephen King and directed by George A. Romero, with a cackling skeleton that hosted and featured stars like Lesley Nielsen, Ted Danson, and Adrienne Barbeau.
The AMC streaming service has enlisted The Walking Dead’s Greg Nicotero attached to direct, executive produce, and supervise the show’s new run on the network.
“Creepshow is one of the most beloved and iconic horror anthologies from two masters of the genre, George A. Romero and Stephen King,” Shudder general manager Craig Engler said in a press statement. “We’re thrilled to continue their legacy with another master of horror, Greg Nicotero, as we bring a new Creepshow TV series exclusively to Shudder members.”
Award-winning KNB EFX partner Greg Nicotero is the executive producer, director, and special effects makeup artist for AMC’s The Walking Dead. Pittsburgh native Nicotero began his career back in 1985 when he assisted makeup legend Tom Savini for George Romero’s classic Day of the Dead. Nicotero met Tom Savini while visiting the set of Creepshow in the early 1980s.
Nicotero worked in other late ‘80s iconic horror franchises and honed his special effects makeup skills. He’s worked with noted directors Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, George Romero, Clive Barker, John Carpenter, Don Coscarelli, and Sam Raimi.
He and his business partner Howard Berger began the KNB EFX Group in 1988, working on nearly 700 film and television programs that stretch through cinema as a who’s who of horror, science fiction, and thrillers. They have racked up Oscars, Emmys and many other prestigious awards.
Nicotero took his talent into directing serving as a 2nd unit director for some of the biggest names in Hollywood, eventually directing on his own.
In a press release, Nicotero said: “Creepshow is a project very close to my heart! It is one of those titles that embraces the true spirit of horror…thrills and chills celebrated in one of its truest art forms, the comic book come to life! I’m honored to continue the tradition in the ‘spirit’ in which it was created.”
The new Creepshow series begins on Shudder in 2019, and is said to hold up the tagline from the original series: “The Most Fun You’ll Ever Have Being Scared.”
Keeping to the format, the anthology series will show off the skills of a different director weekly, with Nicotero directing the first episode and his KNB EFX Group Inc. handling the creature effects.