[EXCLUSIVE]: Greg Nicotero Confirms 'Walking Dead: Dead City' Season 3 Will Film in Worcester, MA

Legends, Latex, and Legacy: Greg Nicotero Talks Favorite Projects and FX Advice

By Nikki Colman for Xscream | Horror Nerds Talking Slash

In the world of movie monsters and practical gore, few names carry as much weight as Greg Nicotero. Sitting down with me for Xscream, the legendary makeup and special effects artist reflected on his journey from a Pittsburgh kid dreaming of movies to becoming one of horror’s most influential figures.

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Right from the start, Nicotero made it clear: none of it would have happened without George Romero. “I wouldn’t have a career if it hadn’t been for George,” he said. Nicotero met Romero at just 15, through his uncle who had acted in Romero’s The Crazies. That chance meeting led to bus rides into Pittsburgh, a near-miss on Creepshow, and eventually a life-changing call to join Day of the Dead. “It was the sequel to my favorite movie ever,” Nicotero said. “How could I not?”

That leap set the tone for a career defined by bold choices and relentless creativity. Nicotero’s filmography is a genre fan’s fever dream: From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City, The Mist, In the Mouth of Madness, Evil Dead II, Scream, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween. He laughed as he rattled them off, adding, “The only franchise I haven’t done is Hellraiser. I might have to do a Pinhead tribute zombie just so I can check that box.” And of course, there’s The Walking Dead — his most defining project, which he’s shepherded for 15 years. “It put zombies into everybody’s living room every Sunday night,” he said, crediting the series for making the undead mainstream.

For aspiring effects artists hoping to follow in his bloody footprints, Nicotero offered advice rooted in the reality of today’s industry. “Make sure you’re well-rounded,” he urged. “Don’t just focus on prosthetics. Focus on wounds, trauma, cuts, bruises, beauty makeup. If you’re the whole package, you’re going to be more attractive to a producer.” He noted that the industry has changed drastically since he started, and specialization alone doesn’t cut it anymore. “Back in the day you could just do one thing, but now you need to know how to do everything.”

Nicotero’s words carried the weight of someone who’s seen the business evolve from the inside out. He spoke with warmth, humor, and the kind of confidence that comes only from decades of hard-earned experience. He and Nikki even bonded over both having once been pushed toward medical careers before choosing creativity instead. “We’re basically best friends now,” he joked, grinning at their shared path. The easy chemistry between them made the conversation feel less like an interview and more like two horror nerds trading secrets.

As the conversation wrapped, Nicotero casually dropped that The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3 was about to start shooting locally here in Worcester MA, where this years Silver Scream Horror Convention is currently being held, a reminder that he’s still very much at the heart of the genre he helped shape. For fans of film history, horror craft, and practical FX, his story is more than inspiring. It’s proof that passion and perseverance can turn bus rides and chance meetings into legends, latex, and legacy.