Revival's First Five Minutes Feature the Dead Coming Back to Life in a Surprising Way, People on Fire, and More - IGN Live 2025

IGN Live was granted exclusive access to reveal the first five minutes of SYFY’s upcoming series *Revival*, offering a glimpse into its intriguing premise. In addition, we had the opportunity to speak directly with Aaron B. Koontz, the co-creator and showrunner of the series, about what makes this unique take on the undead so compelling.

Set to premiere on SYFY on June 12, *Revival* is based on the Harvey Award-nominated comic by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, which originally ran for 47 issues between 2012 and 2017. The exclusive clip shared during our coverage introduces viewers to the pivotal “Revival Day”—the moment when the dead return to life, not as ravenous zombies, but as eerily unchanged versions of their former selves.

This opening scene closely mirrors the beginning of the original comic, a choice that Koontz explained was crucial in capturing the tone and mystery of the story from the outset.

“It's one of the first scenes in the comic, and we were like, this hooked us,” Koontz said. “I thought it was really cool and had no idea where this was going to go. And I will say, without giving things away, this scene is also more than just a scene. You'll see, after watching later episodes, that these first few minutes were hiding so much more than you realized.”

One standout moment in the clip takes place at Randy’s Crematorium in Wausau, Wisconsin, where an undead individual regains consciousness mid-cremation, catches fire, and bolts out of the chamber. Impressively, this scene was achieved using practical effects rather than relying on CGI.

“I wanted to be ambitious,” Koontz remarked. “I wanted to set people on fire and I didn’t want to do CG. We were also in such a small town where there weren't a ton of extra ambulances, and we felt really bad because so many medical personnel were already on set. I remember thinking, ‘I hope nothing bad happens in the town tonight because they're all sitting on our set!’”

Randy, played by Graeme Barrett—best known for his work on *Divorced Dads* and *Court of Chaos*—was handpicked by Koontz via Instagram. His casting was intentional, aiming to create a contrast between humor and the otherwise serious tone of the series.

“I think one of my favorite things in the script was like, okay, but these are not our main characters,” Koontz added. “So, how do you get them right to the main characters and what’s there? And I love that Randy saying it's not my fault is also similar to the very first line you hear Wayne Cypress say. And you're immediately in a fight with Wayne and Dana, and so you're seeing and feeling the dynamic of the Cypress family, which is important because the Cypress family is the heart of this whole show.”

Koontz emphasized that *Revival* isn’t designed to be a typical horror series. Instead, it blends eerie moments with melodrama and humor, drawing comparisons to shows like *Mare of Easttown* and *Fargo*. With quirky characters, full-throttle horror elements, and a fresh twist on familiar zombie tropes, *Revival* promises something both familiar and refreshingly different.

The series stars Melanie Scrofano (*Wynonna Earp*), Romy Weltman (*Backstage*), David James Elliott (*JAG*), Andy McQueen (*Mrs. Davis*), Steven Ogg (*The Walking Dead*), Phil Brooks (CM Punk) (*Mayans M.C.*), Gia Sandhu (*A Simple Favor*), Katharine King So (*The Recruit*), Maia Jae (*In the Dark*), Nathan Dales (*Letterkenny*), Mark Little (*Doomlands*), Glen Gould (*Tulsa King*), Lara Jean Chorostecki (*Nightmare Alley*), and Conrad Coates (*Fargo*).

Based on the critically acclaimed Image Comics series that ran from 2012 to 2017, *Revival* brings the rich storytelling and atmospheric tension of the source material to life in a way that honors its roots while carving out its own identity.

Catch the premiere of *Revival* on SYFY on June 12, followed by its debut on Peacock the next week. For more updates, check out our [ttpp] and stay tuned to IGN Live for exclusive reveals and behind-the-scenes content.