'Night of the Living' in production by Burton and Seth Grahame-Smith

“Dark Shadows” collaboration of talents between Seth Grahame-Smith as screenwriter and director Tim Burton proved what they could do as a team. The two are working on another project titled, “Night of the Living.”

“Night of the Living” is a ghoulish stop-motion animated film that will ride parallel to Burton’s “Corpse Bride” and “Frankenweenie.”

Smith has begun the process of screenwriting for “Night of the Living,” which is based on an idea he’s had for a while. Burton is on board as director.

Smith has his background in spoof films. “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” and his ability to rework stories of fame such as he did in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” The script for “Night of the Living” is, of course, being kept secret until closer to the release date.

In a recent THR interview, Smith shared some background on the project.

‘Night of the Living’ is an idea I have had around for years that I’m doing with Tim Burton. When we were shooting ‘Dark Shadows’ last year I worked up the nerve to tell Tim about it because I always thought it would make a good movie. When I saw what he had done with ‘Frankenweenie’ and ‘Corpse Bride,’ it always struck me as a great idea for that form. I’m writing it at Warner Bros. for him as a stop-motion monster movie.

Currently, Burton is working on several projects. “Monsterpocalypse is a board game movie and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is coming in the future in a way only Tim Burton can manage. The novel, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” and “Pinocchio” that may star Robert Downey Jr. as Gepetto is also in the works by Burton.

Although he’s a busy man, it seems he may be putting these projects on hold long enough to bring the new project “Night of the Living” to fruition. Smith has geared up to turn in his draft of the script for “Night of the Living” before his adaptation of his novel “Unholy Night.” Smith is set to pen “Beetlejuice 2” with Burton at the helm.