By MICHAEL GINGOLD

The zombies will walk again under one of this year’s most acclaimed new filmmakers.

Deadline reports that MGM is in final talks to take worldwide rights to a sequel to George A. Romero’s original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD that will be directed by Nikyatu Jusu, who won praise and awards this past year for her debut feature NANNY (which launches on Prime Video tomorrow). LaToya Morgan, who has been a writer and producer on THE WALKING DEAD, scripted the new movie, which has Christine Romero and Tina Romero of Sanibel Films as part of the producing team. Village Roadshow Pictures and Vertigo Entertainment are also among the backers for the film, which is intended to launch a new franchise.

Meanwhile, another NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD II (which we last told you about here) is currently in preproduction for writer/director Marcus Slabine. Jusu is also prepping a feature-film adaptation of her vampire short SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT, scripted by Fredrica Bailey and produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions for Universal release.