By KEVIN HOOVER
2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Dan O’Bannon’s The Return of The Living Dead, and the guffaw-inducing gorefest is ready to rave from the grave with a handful of new films slated to release this year. Produced by DRagonSTUDIOS, TRASH’S REVENGE: THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD UNIVERSE is one such entry, bolstered by a number of cast from the 1985 classic returning alongside Linnea Quigley in the starring role as the punk rocker with a knack for performing in the nude.
The film, which began shooting in April, reads: “Years after the horrific events of Return of the Living Dead, the infamous punk rocker Trash (Linnea Quigley) miraculously returns from the grave, her undead form now fused with an insatiable hunger for both human flesh and the limelight. As Trash re-emerges in a society that has all but forgotten the terror of the living dead, she finds herself drawn to Hollywood, driven by a delusional desire to reignite her once-fleeting fame. Embracing the persona of a grotesque Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard,Trash navigates the dark underbelly of Tinseltown, where her undead status becomes both her curse and her ticket to notoriety.”
Returning cast include Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph, Miguel A. Núñez, Jr., John Philbin and Don Calfa, while new brains fresh-for-the-chomping include Clifton Taylor and musician Juan Lords, who contributes both a song to the soundtrack and a turn as a shambling undead.
Backed by chilling new music from The Return of the Living Dead’s original composer Francis Haines and co-produced by John Russo, co-creator of both Night of the Living Dead and The Return of the Living Dead, TRASH’S REVENGE: THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD UNIVERSE is currently crowdfunding. Perks include walk-on and speaking roles stateside, before the production heads overseas to the U.K.
