There’s much more to the genre than just flesh- and brain-eating, or mindless shuffling masses of the undead. Most zombie films also take a sharp look at the human condition, including how everyday folks would survive a zombie apocalypse, how many of us going through our day-to-day are essentially operating as the walking dead ourselves and how governments would handle (or mishandle) a zombie virus pandemic. Historically, zombie movies have also served as criticisms of racial injustice, nuclear war and consumerism—elements that, for many, have never felt closer to home than they do right now. Whether you’re seeking social commentary—or simply a bloody good time this Halloween season—we’ve rounded up a list of the best zombie movies for you to watch, including new zombie movies, zombie comedy movies (should we call them “zomedies?”), zombie movies on Netflix, and classics; in fact, we’ve chosen 31 of them so you’re guaranteed a good time in front of your screen every night in October in the lead-up to All Hallow’s Eve, when you may just see some of the undead knocking on your door. Hopefully they’ll just ask for candy, not carnage.
Best Zombie Movies of All Time
These new zombie movies debuted within the last decade. Many combine classic zombie tropes (you know, the shuffling, the flesh-eating, the decay) with new elements, modern themes and seriously twisted plot twists.
Best New Zombie Movies
1. Army of the Dead
Director Zack Snyder delivers in this zombie heist film, which boasts Tig Notaro, Dave Bautista and even robot zombies — be on the lookout for them! How to watch: Stream Army of the Dead on Netflix.
2. Overlord
Soldiers dropped behind enemy lines just before D-Day in World War II discover some seriously terrifying Nazi experiments in Overlord. Come for the horror and zombies, stay for a seriously badass Wyatt Russell head-butt.
3. Train to Busan
During a zombie outbreak in South Korea, passengers on a train from Seoul to Busan struggle to survive in this 2016 hit.
4. #Alive
#Alive is terrifying in more ways than one. Aside from being about zombies, the South Korean film, shot in 2019 and released in June 2020, does a chillingly good job at capturing the fears associated with being isolated and alone during a crisis… and the hashtag in the title becomes very important. How to watch: Stream #Alive on Netflix.
5. Maggie
Arnold Schwarzeneggerstars as a truly dedicated dad to Abigail Breslin’s titular Maggie. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the duo deliver poignant and heartbreaking performances, making this option one of the more tragic and dramatic (as opposed to gory and terrifying) films on the list. How to watch: Stream Maggie on Crackle, FuboTV, Philo, Pluto TV, Tubi, and Vudu.
6. The Girl With All the Gifts
The Girl With All the Gifts paints a picture of a post-apocalyptic dystopia where most people are zombies called “hungries,” with a serious taste for human flesh, and few survivors remain uninfected. While most “hungries” are mindless, some children retain their abilities to reason and feel despite their bloodlust.
7. World War Z
Brad Pittstars in World War Z, based on the book by Max Brooks(son of comedic auteur Mel Brooks), which follows a global pandemic (sound familiar?) and a race for a cure.
Best Classic Zombie Movies
These classic zombie movies set the tone for the entire genre, and you can see references to them in almost every zombie film to come out thereafter.
8. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Night of the Living Dead, released in 1968, is iconic zombie auteur George Romeroat his finest and also most groundbreaking, with Duane Jonesas the first African American actor to be the lead in a mainstream horror movie. Night of the Living Dead also has strong messages about racial justice, with stills in the end credits evoking the real-life terrors of white supremacy and lynching.
9. Return of the Living Dead
While Return of the Living Dead is a zombie comedy, it’s in the classic list because it revolutionized one particular part of the genre: It was the first zombie movie to portray zombies as hungry not for human flesh, but specifically for human brains. Based on a novel of the same name by John Russo, Return of the Living Dead also serves as a commentary on chemical warfare, especially the United States’ use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, as well as the Dow Chemical Company’s involvement in its production. How to watch: Stream Return of the Living Dead on HBO Max and Hulu.
10. 28 Days Later
Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harrisstar in modern classic 28 Days Later, which director Danny Boyleat one point didn’t quite see as being a zombie film: A “rage virus” is unleashed in the U.K. when animal liberation activists freed an infected chimpanzee, and the movie follows Jim (Murphy) and Selena (Harris) as they navigate the post-apocalyptic world, in which the horrors aren’t limited to the virus. How to watch: Stream 28 Days Later on HBO Max and Hulu.
11. The Evil Dead
Sam Raimicreated the Evil Dead franchise, and the 1981 original film, The Evil Dead, was one of the goriest (and cheekiest!) movies of its time, introducing the world to Bruce Campbell’s iconic Ash and the Deadites. Campbell previously told Parade that when producing the movie, a theater owner told the cast and crew, “You gotta keep the blood running down the screen!” “There’s a scene in the original The Evil Dead where Ash is in the basement, and an old projector turns on, and these drops of blood hit the projector lens. Literally Ash has blood coming down the screen in front of him. That was an homage to what that guy told us, and we haven’t forgotten it,” Campbell recalled. “If you’re going to have a horror movie, you’ve got to have blood.” How to watch: Stream The Evil Dead on HBO Max and Hulu.
12. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
George Romero directs with music from Dario Argento, making Dawn of the Dead a horror lover’s dream team and a gory commentary on consumerism. How to watch: Stream Dawn of the Dead (1978) from Shudder.
13. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
The 2004 remake of Dawn of the Deadis as good as the original, with a more modern mall setting, written by James Gunn(of Guardians of the Galaxyfame) and directed by Zack Snyder. Come for the zombies, stay for Ty Burrellas a smug jerk that couldn’t be farther from his beloved Modern Familycharacter.
14. Slither
James Gunnmakes his directorial debut with Slither, featuring his frequent collaborators Elizabeth Banks, Nathan Fillion, and Michael Rooker (and his then-wife, The Office star Jenna Fischer). The film features a parasite that turns its victims into monstrosities, and Rob Zombiehas a voice cameo — so listen closely to Dr. Karl!
15. The Last Man on Earth
Released in 1964, The Last Man on Earth was the first feature film adaptation of the novel I Am Legend. In the book, the monsters are more vampiric (and capable of actions like running and climbing), whereas in the film, they’re much more zombie-like — shuffling slowly and largely mindless, though they’re still quite sensitive to sunlight.
16. Reanimator
Loosely based on the H.P. Lovecraft short story Herbert West—Reanimator, Reanimator was initially rated X upon release, then changed to an R when released on video, eventually becoming a cult favorite. The film raises the question of which characters in the film are the real monsters — and the answer is relatively clear, but nonetheless a great viewing. Please be warned, however, that Reanimator does have at least one scene that may be triggering to sexual assault survivors, so proceed with caution.
Best Zombie Comedy Movies
17. Shaun of the Dead
Simon Peggis the lovable, hilarious hero of the classic Shaun of the Dead, as well as a co-writer on the film. Pegg hassaidShaun of the Dead had a number of inspirations from classic zombie movies, including Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, as well as the comedy Raising Arizona, Back to the Future, and Alfred Hitchcockclassic The Birds. Look for a slew of British celebrity cameos, including Coldplayfrontman Chris Martin!
18. Little Monsters (2019)
Little Monstersis criminally underrated. Lupita Nyong’oand Alexander England team up to save a kindergarten class from a zombie outbreak during a field trip, in which they also encounter another kind of monster — a kids’ show host and all-around jerk played to perfection by Josh Gad. How to watch: Stream Little Monsters on Hulu.
19. Fido
A fantastic satire, Fido, a film centered on a boy’s bond with his “pet” zombie, lampoons not just zombie movies, but also the nuclear family, nuclear war, corporatism, class warfare, the criminal justice system, and even Lassie.
20. ParaNorman
The most kid-friendly option on the list by far, ParaNorman is an unconventional zombie story: Norman is a medium capable of communicating with the dead, leading him to be an outcast within his own family as well as his classmates. His feelings of other-ness are only exacerbated when zombies begin following him all over town. The film is a sweet allegory for accepting and loving who you are, and it’s not a coincidence that this theme accompanied the first-ever openly gay character (Norman’s best friend, Mitch) in an animated feature. How to watch: Stream ParaNorman on Netflix.
21. Zombieland
Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslinand Jesse Eisenbergstar in Zombieland, a beloved comedy about a ragtag team coming together to survive in the direst of circumstances — and will make you feel better about craving Twinkies.
22. The Dead Don’t Die
A star-studded ensemble cast, featuring Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Danny Glover, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, RZA, Tom Waits, Selena Gomez and more, round out The Dead Don’t Die, yet another zombie allegory for consumerism.
23. I Was a Teenage Zombie
A parody of teen films of its era at the time of its 1987 release, I Was a Teenage Zombie is best-loved for its soundtrack, which features The Violent Femmes, The Waitresses, The Smithereens, Los Lobos, The Del Fuegos, and a title track from The Fleshtones, among others. How to watch: Stream I Was a Teenage Zombie on HBO Max.
24. Ed And His Dead Mother
A cult classic, 1993’s Ed And His Dead Mother stars Steve Buscemi as Ed, mourning the passing of his overbearing mom. He pays a shady salesman $1,000 to reanimate her — and when things go wrong, he’s forced to come to terms with the true cost of his grief.
25. Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II fully embraces the camp and comedy that made the original Evil Dead so great, but ups the ante in every imaginable way: Ash (Bruce Campbell) still hasn’t learned his lesson to not vacation in abandoned cabins in the woods, nor to not play weird audiotapes he finds in said cabins. Macabre action and humor abound, particularly in the film’s final scene. How to watch: Stream Evil Dead II on HBO Max and Hulu.
26. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Love Jane Austen, but crave just a little more action? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is for you: It finds Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) as arrogant as ever, but his zombie-slaying skills make him inevitably irresistible to Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James), who delivers some serious “final girl” energy.
27. American Zombie
If you’re a fan of mockumentaries (think Best In Show or What We Do In the Shadows), American Zombieis for you: The film parodies both zombie tropes as well as identity politics and hustle culture.
28. Warm Bodies
Nicholas Houltbrings life to his undead character in this 2013 zombie rom-com, told from the perspective of a smitten member of the undead.
29. Night of the Creeps
30. Aaah! Zombies!! (Wasting Away)
What happens if you become a zombie, but don’t know it? Aaah! Zombies!! (called Wasting Away in North America) examines how it feels for a zombie to turn without realizing that’s what happened — and shows the world from their perspective.
31. Braindead (Dead Alive)
Peter Jacksonof Lord of the Ringsfame wrote and directed Braindead. Released in 1992 with a $3 million budget, this zombie comedy was Jackson’s most expensive film ever at the time (can you even imagine?) and is one of the goriest movies you’ll ever see. The film is titled Dead Alive stateside because another movie named Brain Dead already had rights at the time of its release. Next, need a good scare? These are the 37 best horror movies on HBO Max right now!
