While supernatural TV has never had the easiest path when it comes to finding its viewership, the genre often pulls on threads that are more cinematic and artful, like this new-to-Netflix series that brings in elements of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King throughout its 10-episodes. Broadcast networks have traditionally had more limitations surrounding what works and what doesn’t when it comes to supernatural shows, particularly ones that have horror elements. Psychological horror, specifically, is a completely different challenge that depends less on spectacle, which TV can often do more easily because of the constraints of timing and censorship that exist.

Supernatural shows in the streaming era tend to lean a bit more large-scale storytelling elements than their predecessors, looking to books and movies of the past not only for source material, but for inspiration. With so much to mine from over the course of the last several decades, it’s easy to find inspiration, but it can be difficult to pull influences and stand out from the crowd without taking too much from a specific series, book, or movie. One recently released show on Netflix, draws from the grounded supernatural ideas in Spielberg films and the small-town universes of King novels.

Revival, a 10-episode series that originally ran on Syfy in mid-2025, may only be one season long, but the series took influence from both Spielberg and King openly, making connections to their past work within their show in order to create a roving supernatural mystery in a small Wisconsin town.

Revival Is Openly Inspired By ’80s Steven Spielberg & Stephen King Movies

Although Revival isn’t an adaptation or a reboot of Spielberg or King properties, the show isn’t shy about the creative role that both icon’s projects have in building the series. Based on the comic series by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, Revival takes place in a rural Wisconsin town where the dead suddenly come back to life. While they aren’t conventional zombies, Revival’s dead aren’t ghosts, either. Instead, they’re exactly who they were before death, retaining their memories and able to continue their lives just as they left them. The mystery surrounding their revival is the core of the series.

Investigated by deputy Dana Cypress (Melanie Scrofano), the mystery at the core of Revival becomes something she’s attached to after a murder complicates the already complicated situation. Revival’s Spielberg comparison, confirmed by the show’s co-creator Aaron B. Koontz, comes from the fact that the show’s creative team wanted it to consistently feel cinematic, but the King elements that come into play are a bit deeper. The small town Revival takes place in mixed with the supernatural mystery that many have simply accepted as normal tease out a similar tone to King projects. The show pays homage to its inspirations well.

Revival Season 2 Still Needs To Happen

With just one season airing on Syfy in 2025, Revival coming to Netflix could breathe new life into the series, which desperately needs a second season soon. While it appears that the show is finished for now, bringing it to the successful streaming platform and getting new eyes on the series could open the door for more to come in the future. With Revival having reached a fairly satisfying end in its first season finale, the mystery of the show at its core has yet to actually resolve, which means that regardless of where, the series needs more time.

Netflix may give the show the opportunity to build a bigger base, but there’s no guarantee that the streaming platform will then find a way to bring more episodes to life. While it’s a shot in the dark, Revival getting the chance to come back for a second season would allow the show to continue to build toward resolution surrounding the mystery at the root of the series, which would be far more satisfying than leaving things unresolved after the series’ only season.

Release Date

June 12, 2025

Network

SyFy, CTV Sci-Fi Channel

Showrunner

Luke Boyce, Aaron B. Koontz

Directors

Samir Rehem, Amanda Row

Writers

Noelle Carbone, Ashley Park, Heather Taylor, Luke Boyce, Aaron B. Koontz

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  Melanie Scrofano

  Dana Cypress

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  Romy Weltman

  Martha ‘Em’ Cypress