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Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero and More from ‘The Walking Dead’ Pay Tribute to the Legendary George A. Romero

On Sunday, the entertainment industry lost one of its true legends, filmmaker George A. Romero.  Romero’s unique vision and approach to the horror genre not only resonated with fans but also inspired and greatly influence modern day productions such as The Walking Dead.

After learning of Romero’s passing, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman paid tribute to the horror legend by tweeting his respects, “Without George A. Romero, there is no Walking Dead.  His inspiration cannot be overstated. He started it all, so many others followed.”

Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd echoed Kirkman’s sentiments with a twitter tribute of her own, “#RIPGeorgeRomero #Legend and #HorrorHero.”

Walking Dead composer Bear McCreary acknowledge Romero’s pioneering of the zombie genre of film and television with an expression of gratitude, “Love and respect to dir George Romero, without whom the Dead could not walk.”

Perhaps the most poignant of the tributes from The Walking Dead crew comes from executive producer and special effects master Greg Nicotero.  In past interviews, Nicotero has commonly referred to Romero as an inspiration for his work. Nicotero even worked on Romero’s 1985 film Day of the Dead and 2005 film Land of the Dead.

After Romero’s passing, Nicotero took to Instagram to pay tribute to his late mentor, “The sad news keeps rolling in. There are so many things to say about this man, my friend, my mentor and my inspiration. For what he gave us all with passion and fire, his unrelenting spirit will live forever. Blessed that I was honored to present him this award late April in Pittsburgh where IT ALL FUCKING STARTED!!!! Never ending love to him and his family.”

The world has certainly lost a horror icon but, George A. Romero’s legendary works will live on through inspiration for eternity.  Rest in peace, Mr. Romero and thank you for the impact and influence you have left in the industry!