Here's Where You Can Watch Return Of The Living Dead Part 2
If George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" is the zombie movie that set the rules for most of the zombie movies that came after, then "Return of the Living Dead" is the franchise that broke those rules. Conceptualized by Romero's co-writer on "Night of the Living Dead," John A. Russo, "Return of the Living Dead" wasn't concerned with social issues so much as it was interested in action and gore. The first film was directed by "Alien" scribe Dan O'Bannon and features zombies that talk, run, and crave brains rather than just generic, human flesh.
In addition to punks, morticians, and a very over-eager U.S. military, the first "Return of the Living Dead" also features something else — a ton of nudity. One of its main characters, Trash (Linnea Quigley), is naked for most of the film. And while there was a basic cable edit that cut around said nudity, that first film wasn't exactly the sort of film parents would rent for their kids.
However, "Return of the Living Dead Part II" took the exact opposite route, not only making the film far more kid-friendly but also featuring a kid as one of the leads. If you happen to be looking for a more wholesome horror movie to watch this Halloween, you don't need to watch the original "Return of the Living Dead" to understand its sequel — and here are all the places where you can watch it.
Streaming on Starz and available to rent most everyplace else
At the moment, the only way you're able to watch "Return of the Living Dead Part II" without paying something extra is if you happen to have a subscription to Starz, be it through your cable company or via something like Roku or Amazon.
Fortunately, that's not the only way to watch the "Return of the Living Dead" franchise ape Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video, and it won't cost you too much in exchange. Apple TV, YouTube, the Fandango Media-run Vudu, and Amazon Prime all charge a tiny $2.99 for renting "Return of the Living Dead Part II". And, if you decide you want to own rather than rent the film, those same services will only charge you $6.99.
If you want to go the whole way and own "Return of the Living Dead Part II" on physical media, Shout Factory released a special edition Blu-ray of the film back in 2018. That release includes a 2K scan of an interpositive of the movie as well as multiple commentary tracks, interviews, and a featurette about the special makeup effects on the film. So if you want all the secret details over why the two actors who played warehouse workers in the first "Return of the Living Dead" are now grave robbers, the Blu-ray is probably the best way to go. Otherwise, there's no shortage of ways to stream the film on the device of your choice.