Talk Is Jericho: Greg Nicotero On The Walking Dead Zombies, Tarantino Stories & Horror FX Secrets

Horror legend Greg Nicotero is LIVE at Spooky Empire with Chris Jericho! Greg talks about growing up as a monster-obsessed kid hanging around Tom Savini and George A. Romero, landing his first real job on Day of the Dead, and the major crossroads decision that led him to choose Evil Dead 2 over Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 — and helped launch KNB! He breaks down what really happened behind the scenes of Evil Dead 2, how slapstick chaos met extreme horror, and why that movie still inspires filmmakers today. Greg also shares incredible stories from working with Quentin Tarantino on Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, and Django Unchained, explains why Tarantino lets your imagination do the damage, and reveals the on-set philosophy that made him one of the most trusted collaborators in Hollywood. And of course, it’s zombies: Greg talks about creating the iconic Walking Dead look, transitioning from effects to directing major episodes, the emotional toll of the Negan lineup, and the one zombie effect that helped put the entire series on the map! Plus, Greg’s thoughts on The Mist ending that still divides fans!
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⏰ Chapters
00:00 – Greg Nicotero joins TIJ LIVE at Spooky Empire
02:35 – Tom Savini, Romero, and “being in the right place”
06:05 – Famous Monsters, Fangoria #1, and monster obsession
09:30 – First real job: Day of the Dead
13:55 – The original Day of the Dead script that got cut down
18:15 – Texas Chainsaw 2 vs Evil Dead 2: the fork in the road
21:45 – Making Evil Dead 2: horror vs slapstick chaos
27:05 – “Never say no”: solving impossible director requests
31:55 – Quentin Tarantino stories: Death Proof, Inglourious, Django
36:20 – Pulp Fiction: the Marvin scene change you didn’t know about
40:05 – Stephen King adaptations + Creepshow series stories
44:10 – The Mist: creature design + THAT ending
49:05 – From FX to director: The Walking Dead episodes
53:35 – Negan lineup scene: why Greg shot it differently
56:50 – Practical vs CG on Walking Dead (the “milk” trick)
59:10 – Favorite/most meaningful effects: Bicycle Girl and beyond

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