I’m sure this news comes as no surprise but everyone here at HHNU was saddened to hear news on the passing of George A Romero at the age of 77 today. He truly was a pioneer in not only the horror genre but also became famous for essentially creating the zombie genre which has swept the world throughout the last almost 60 years.
Romero’s first step into the spotlight came in 1968 when he directed a small movie in rural Pittsburgh, PA titled Night of the Living Dead. With a budget of less than $200,000 the movie had not only grossed over $30 million worldwide but would also go down in history as one of the most famous cult horror movies of all time. After the success of Night of the Living Dead Romero went on to work on smaller films such as Season of the Witch and The Crazies. The ladder of which went on to be remained in 2010 by director Breck Eisner. 
Of course, Romero would later go on to continue his “Dead” series with the installments of Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead in 1978 and 1985. Throughout George Romero’s career he has directed and created some of the most iconic and memorable faces in the horror world. He has worked with the great Stephan King in the theatrical release of Creepshow. Along with essentially beginning the career of Mr. Tom Savini who has been behind the FX creations in hundred of movies, including; Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow, and Day of the Dead.
Without the amazing pioneering that Mr. Romero has done throughout his career we would not have some of the amazing horror and Halloween Horror Nights History that we have today. Directors and creators such as Rob Zombie, Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead), John Carpenter (Halloween), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, and Seth Grahame-Smith (Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies)
So many of the writers and directors which George Romero has inspired have gone on to bring their horror creations to life based on the path which Romero had blazed before them and so many of these works have gone on to shape Halloween Horror Nights as we know it. Rob Zombie’s House of 1,000 Corpses might have never been brought to life in HHN Hollywood (2011). John Carpenter might never have created the Halloween Series which has been brought to life on both coasts! We might never have seen Shaun of the Dead appear in both HHN Hollywood and as a small scene in HHN Orlando. Without the work of Romero we might have never had Zombies in popular Horror Culture, which means we might not have ever seen; Dead Exposure, War of the Living Dead, Dead Man’s Wharf, Zombie Gras, and many many more!
George A Romero will forever be known as the “Godfather of Zombies” but he will also forever hold a place in the horror universe and the HHN universe as well.
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