The films portray how different people react to the same phenomenon, ranging from citizens to police to army officials and to citizens again. The fifth film does not continue the depiction of progress, but shows events at the very beginning of a zombie outbreak, similar to the first film.
This is exemplified by the fact that each movie is set within the era it is filmed, with Land of the Dead being set in modern times with current (as of 2005) technology such as game consoles, flatscreen televisions, and cell phones. This situation advances with each film, showing the world in a worsening state, but each film is independent of its predecessor. The films are not produced as direct follow-ups from one another and their only continuation is the theme of the epidemic of the living dead. Labeled " Trilogy of the Dead" until Land of the Dead, each film is laden with social commentary on topics ranging from racism to consumerism. Romero went on to direct five additional Dead films, while Russo branched into literary territory, writing Return of the Living Dead, which was later loosely adapted into a film of the same name and would have its own franchise, and Escape of the Living Dead.
After Night of the Living Dead 's initial success, the two creators split in disagreement regarding where the series should head, and since the film was in the public domain, each were able to do what they liked with the continuity of their projects.