"Revival's First Five Minutes Show Dead Rising and People Ablaze - IGN Live 2025"

IGN Live had the exclusive opportunity to reveal the first five minutes of SYFY’s upcoming series *Revival*, and we also sat down with the show’s co-creator and showrunner, Aaron B. Koontz, to discuss 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 from Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, which ran for 47 issues between 2012 and 2017. The exclusive clip shared during our coverage introduces viewers to the pivotal "Revival Day"—the moment the dead return to life, but not as typical zombies. Instead, they awaken just as they were before death, both physically and mentally.

This opening scene mirrors the beginning of the comic, a choice that Koontz felt was essential for drawing audiences into the story right from the start.

“It's one of the first scenes in the comic, and we were like, this hooked us,” Koontz explained. “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 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 from the clip takes place at Randy's Crematorium in Wausau, Wisconsin, where an individual who has just revived catches fire and flees the building in flames. Impressively, this sequence was executed using practical effects rather than CGI.

“I wanted to be ambitious,” Koontz said. “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 there. I remember thinking, ‘I hope nothing bad happens in the town tonight because they're all sitting on our set!’”

The character of Randy, played by Graeme Barrett (known for *Divorced Dads* and *Court of Chaos*), brings humor and contrast to the show’s darker themes. Koontz discovered him via Instagram and believed he perfectly embodied the offbeat tone the series aims to achieve.

“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.”

Ultimately, *Revival* isn’t designed to be a grim horror series. Rather, it blends elements of horror, drama, and dark comedy, offering a mix of suspenseful and lighthearted moments throughout. Koontz describes it as being akin to *Mare of Easttown* meets *Fargo*, packed with quirky characters, gripping thriller moments, and zombie tropes turned on their head.

*Revival* will debut on SYFY on June 12 and will become available on Peacock the following week. 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 (better known as 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 comic series published by Image Comics, *Revival* brings a fresh, genre-blending narrative to the screen, combining supernatural mystery with deeply human drama.

For more updates, check out our exclusive trailer reveal for *Revival* and stay tuned for ongoing coverage from IGN Live.