George Romero Dies at 77

George Romero died on Sunday at the age of 77, Variety reports.

The legendary director, who is the father of zombie movies, passed away following a battle with lung cancer.

"Legendary filmmaker George A. Romero passed away on Sunday July 16, listening to the score of 'The Quiet Man,' one of his all-time favorite films, with his wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and daughter, Tina Romero at his side," Romero's manager Chris Roe said in a statement. "He died peacefully in his sleep, following a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a filmmaking legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time."

Romero is best known for Night of the Living Dead, a movie which practically invented the modern zombie genre when it debuted in 1968. During his career, Romero made several follow-ups to Night of the Living Dead, including Dawn of the DeadandDay of the Deadamong others.

Although Romero worked almost exclusively in film, his impact can still be felt in today's television landscape. One has to look no further than AMC's hit series The Walking Dead to see Romero's influence on the medium.

He also executive-produced Tales from the Dark Side, a horror anthology series which ran for four seasons in the '80s.