Equally atmospheric in strikingly different ways, the living dead and prom make for an awesome, creepy combination (see Gregg Bishop's Dance of the Dead), and they could come together once again via the in-the-works Zombie Prom feature film.

Variety reports that a feature film adaptation of the Zombie Prom musical is in development. The movie and TV rights to the horror comedy play that made its debut in 1993 have been picked up by Michael J. Roth and Steve Longi.

Vince Marcello, who wrote and directed the 2006 short film adaptation of Zombie Prom, will direct the full-length feature from a screenplay he'll write with creative collaborator Mark Landry (the duo co-penned Disney's Teen Beach Movie).

Similar to Creepshow, Zombie Prom was inspired by EC Comics from the 1950s. For those unfamiliar with the off-Broadway play and its short film adaptation (which co-starred RuPaul as Miss Strict), here's the short's official synopsis (via zombiepromthemovie.com):

"Zombie Prom is a 1950s horror comic book brought to life as a musical comedy film. It is a campy, rollicking, romp through America's "Atomic Age" and the "Golden Age" of horror comic books. Here's the story...

Set in the fabulous '50s, this is the tale of a sweet teenage girl named, TOFFEE (a Gidget-type) and her "rebel without a cause" boyfriend, JONNY. The two meet at Enrico Fermi High School and fall in love, but the principal, MISS DELILAH STRICT (Stalin in pumps and a dress!) intervenes, persuading the indecisive young Toffee to break up with Jonny. Tortured by the betrayal, Jonny drives his motorcycle to the nearby Francis Gary Powers Nuclear Power Plant and flings himself into a nuclear cooling tower!

Guilt ridden and alone, Toffee mourns the loss of her love, until one day when Jonny returns, risen from the dead - AS A TEENAGE NUCLEAR ZOMBIE! The mass of decomposing flesh professes his love and tells Toffee that he wants her back. He plans to clean up his act, finish school and take her to the senior prom - if she'll have him. Toffee is racked with indecision, but worst of all Miss Strict refuses to allow "zombie scum" in her fine institution. She clearly states that "The satanic walking dead are strictly prohibited at Enrico Fermi High." She even threatens to cancel the senior prom if anyone is caught supporting the "cadaver's cause.""

No casting or film date details for the Zombie Prom feature film are known at this time. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates. Below is the trailer and promo art for the short.

Trailer via MMAInsider:

  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.