Syfy has given 10-episode straight-to series orders to Day of the Dead, based on George A. Romero’s classic zombie film, from Cartel Entertainment (Creepshow), and The Surrealtor, from Blue Ice Pictures (Ginny and Georgia). Both are expected to air on Syfy in 2021.

The Day of the Dead order follows the straight-to-series pickup by Syfy of another classic horror movie title, Chucky, as the network continues to expand its slate into the horror genre. Syfy has been investing in high-end scripted content with a focus on edgy, younger-skewing shows with off-kilter sensibility, including comic book adaptations.

The NBCUniversal cable network, which is mounting a major push in animation, also has been betting increasingly on straight-to-series orders versus pilots with four in a row: Vagrant Queen, based on the comic and also produced by Blue Ice Pictures, which premieres March 27, Chucky, Day of the Dead and The Surrealtor. Meanwhile, neither of Syfy’s two most recent pilots, last year’s Cipher and (Future) Cult Classic, went to series.

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Written by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, who also will showrun, Day of the Dead is the intense story of six strangers trying to survive the first 24 hours of an undead invasion. This ode to Romero’s famous flesh-eaters reminds us that sometimes all it takes to bring people together is a horde of hungry zombies trying to rip them apart. (Watch a trailer of Romero’s 1985 film below.)

2020 Syfy Pilots & Series Orders

Stan Spry, Jeff Holland and Drew Brown executive produce on behalf of Cartel Entertainment, along with Robert Dudelson, James Dudelson and Jordan Kizwani from HiTide Studios.

Cartel is the producer of Shudder’s breakout horror series Creepshow, based on the 1982 movie directed by Romero, which will be moving to AMC for Season 2. The company’s credits also include the animated series Twelve Forever for Netflix.

In The Surrealtor, realtor Nick Roman and an elite team of specialists handle the cases that no one else can: haunted and possessed houses that literally scare would-be buyers away. Researching, investigating and “fixing” the things that go bump in the night, the team works to create closure — and closings — even as they struggle with demons of their own.

Blue Ice Pictures produces. Lance Samuels and Daniel Iron are executive producers along with George Olson, who will also serve as showrunner.

Blue Ice’s most recent TV projects include Ginny & Georgia, Kissing Booth and Spinning Out for Netflix, along with Vagrant Queen for Syfy.

Here’s that reminder of Romero’s Day of the Dead: