Pittsburgh-based director George Romero has landed a deal to make the fourth movie in his successful series of zombie horror films. The movie could be shot here, a chance bolstered by the state Legislature's passage of a bill authorizing tax credits for filmmakers working in Pennsylvania.

Bill Wade, Post-Gazette George Romero ... would like to film his next movie here.

If Gov. Ed Rendell signs the bill, which was sent to him Wednesday, it could help offset the financial advantages that caused Romero to make his most recent film, "Bruiser," in Canada, which offers large tax breaks and a favorable currency exchange rate.

If the new film, tentatively titled "Land of the Dead," is not made here, the other likely location is Winnipeg. Production could begin as soon as October. No casting decisions have been made.

"Obviously, I would love to do it here. It's written for here," Romero said.

"We'll make the decision in the next couple of days," said Bernie Goldmann, a former Pittsburgher and president of Atmosphere Entertainment, which will produce the movie. "It would be great for George, for me and for the city.

"The legislation is not perfect, but it will be helpful. It will be a big deal. It would make a huge difference toward us making the movie in Pittsburgh," he said.

"I think George has written a great script. He's updated the whole 'Living Dead' series. He's a great guy, a great director. He created the genre, and it's great to work with the master."

Romero, who lives in Shadyside, has shot most of his movies in Pittsburgh, beginning with his landmark 1968 horror film "Night of the Living Dead" and including its two sequels, "Dawn of the Dead" and "Day of the Dead."

The new project is tentatively budgeted at between $15 million and $20 million.

The story is set at a time when the world has been overrun by zombies and what remains of civilization has retreated into walled communities.

"It's about ignoring the problem," Romero said. "The protagonists are commandos who have to go out where the zombies are to bring in food and supplies."

He wrote the original version of the script "right before 9/11," he said. "Of course, nobody wanted to touch it after that. They wanted to make fuzzy, feel-good movies."

After rewriting the script, he spent more than a year in negotiations with 20th Century Fox. Atmosphere Films, which was formed in January, showed interest in the script and, Goldmann said, made a deal two days after reading it.

Goldmann's credits as a film producer include the recent "Taking Lives" and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action." The chairman of Atmosphere Entertainment, Mark Canton, is a former studio executive with Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures.

Romero and Goldmann both praised the Steeltown Entertainment Project for its efforts toward making Pittsburgh a financially feasible location for the movie.

Steeltown was formed by Pittsburgh-born screenwriter Carl Kurlander, who envisioned using former Pittsburghers such as Goldmann working in Hollywood, to help rebuild the local film industry that flourished in the late '80s and early '90s.

"I read the script and it's so beautifully set in Pittsburgh that it would really showcase the town," Kurlander said.

Goldmann said Steeltown "did a great job in getting [former City Council President] Bob O'Connor and [PNC Financial Service Group chief economist] Stu Hoffman involved. Stu and Bob have just been heroes. They're getting the private sector involved. They're trying to ease our financial constraints so we can make the movie there."

O'Connor became involved after attending last fall's Steeltown Entertainment Summit, which brought many members of Pittsburgh's Hollywood contingent, including Goldmann, here to discuss ways in which Kurlander's vision might be realized.

Steeltown executive director Ellen Weiss Kander said, "At least the right people are talking now. Everybody's on the phone, trying to make it happen."