Movie connections for
The Return of the Living Dead (1985) More at IMDbPro »

Followed by

Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988)
Return of the Living Dead III (1993)
Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis (2005)
Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave (2005)

References

Night of the Living Dead (1968)
 -  Frank and Freddie talk about the movie.
The Crazies (1973)
 -  The main character from The Crazies is told that the disease might be spreading to Louisville. This is the same place where the events of this film take place. The contagion in The Crazies is called Trixie, similar to the nerve agent called Trioxin 2-4-5.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
 -  The funeral home's chapel is named "Chapel of the Dawn"

Referenced in

Hallucinations (1986) (V)
 -  A poster for this film is hanging in the bedroom.
The Monster Squad (1987)
 -  poster seen at club house
Ghoulies II (1987)
 -  The zombies from the Return of the Living Dead poster are painted on the one of the inside walls of the Satan's Den attraction in Ghoulies 2.
Zombi 3 (1988)
 -  In Zombi 3 they burn the body of an infested man as they do in the return of the living dead. This causes the dead to wake and make people in to zombies
976-EVIL (1988)
 -  One of the bullies is wearing a t-shirt with the movie's logo.
Braindead (1992)
Tromeo and Juliet (1996)
 -  Movie Poster visible
"The Simpsons: Little Big Mom (#11.10)" (2000)
 -  When Homer & Bart think they have leprosy and try to get into the Flanders' house, they start clawing through the letter box and shouting "Brains!" because the "leprosy" makes them look like zombies. The scene is also filmed much like the 3rd act of this movie.
Children of the Living Dead (2001) (V)
 -  refers to zombie outbreak of 1986
Resident Evil (2002)
28 Days Later... (2002)
Ultrachrist! (2003)
 -  Borrows the famous line "how do you kill something that's already dead?"
Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick (2003) (VG)
 -  There is a poster in the game referencing it
Danger! 50,000 Zombies! (2004)
 -  At one point Nick immitates a zombie by shouting "Brains! Brains! Human brains!" This is a reference to this film which is the only movie (not including it's sequels) to have brain-eating zombies who shout "Brains!"
My Demon Nights (2004) (V)
 -  Photo
The Sims 2 (2004) (VG)
 -  Sims who have died and return to life as zombies often appear with a thought bubble containing a "Brain" icon, in reference to this movie's zombie feeding habits.
Breakfast of Imbeciles (2005) (V)
 -  Chachi On Acid song ressurection cemetery which is featured in the movie is based upon the film "return of the living dead".
"Robot Chicken: The Deep End (#1.8)" (2005)
 -  a zombie says "brains"
Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis (2005)
 -  The "Send more security guards." line is a reference.
Stubbs the Zombie in 'Rebel Without a Pulse' (2005) (VG)
 -  This game uses the idea of zombies eating brains like in the movie.
"To kokkino domatio: I nyhta (#1.25)" (2006)
 -  dialogue
"Family Guy: I Take Thee, Quagmire (#4.21)" (2006)
 -  Mayor West says he has all coffins encased in concrete as he's scared of zombies followed by "You'll be happy when noone eats our brains", this is a reference to Return of the Living Dead as Return of the Living Dead is the only zombie movie to feature brain-eating zombies (not counting the sequels), in most zombie films they just eat human flesh.
The Slaughter (2006)
 -  zombie says "I want to eat your brains."
Deadlands: The Rising (2006)
 -  A police officer in Deadlands uses the same call sign Bravo 751, The police officers in Return part 1 use the same call sign
Die and Let Live (2006)
 -  verbal reference
Undead or Alive (2007)
 -  brain-eating zombies mentioned
Grindhouse (2007)
 -  in both this film and "Planet Terror", the military is responsible for the release of a toxin that turns people into non-traditional zombies
Dance of the Dead (2008)
 -  Zombie says "Brains", green mist that makes dead laboratory/research animals come alive, toxic contamination causing the dead to rise.
Deadlands 2: Trapped (2008)
 -  The zombies ambush a roadblock full of Police officers
"The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XX (#21.4)" (2009)
 -  Once infected, Homer has an appertite for brains. The only zombie films to feature zombies which eat brains are the Return of the Living Dead films.
Defective Man! (2009)
 -  "Trioxin 245" Cleaning Product

Featured in

Linnea Quigley's Horror Workout (1990) (V)
 -  Footage shown of Linnea Quigley's character in the film.
Future Shock (1994)

Spoofs

"Scooby Doo, Where Are You!" (1969)
 -  A group of teenagers running through a house, chased by zombies, with 60s-influenced rock-music playing over the scene

Spoofed in

"The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror III (#4.5)" (1992)
 -  Segment "Dial Z for Zombies" spoofs this film.
"South Park: Pink Eye (#1.7)" (1997)
 -  The zombies follow the specific zombie rules from this movie (eat brains, etc) and are brought to life by a chemical as in this movie. A scene of a two people being diagnosed with the symptoms of being dead is also incredibly similar to one from this film.
The Simpsons: Hit & Run (2003) (VG)
 -  The zombies are based on the very specific ones from this film (eat brains, can talk) and are raised with the use of a chemical.
"Robot Chicken: Cracked China (#2.7)" (2006)
 -  man is confused by zombies saying they want "brains"
"South Park: Night of the Living Homeless (#11.7)" (2007)
 -  the homeless want and ask for "change" in the same way that zombies want "brains"

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