Whether the zombies themselves are fast and feral, or slow and unsettling, zombie films remain a fan favourite. Recent TV hits like The Last of Us (hello, fungus zombies) and the long-running The Walking Dead – plus its many spin-offs – have helped keep the undead alive and well.
But it’s not just about the zombies. These stories tap into deeper themes of survival, dystopia and human nature. And more often than not, it’s the humans who turn out to be the real monsters.
Inspired by the release of Danny Boyle’s new film 28 Years Later, 23 years after the original (and now-seminal) 28 Days Later, we’ve rounded up some of the best zombified films to binge while you’re cosy, warm and safely curled up on the couch.
The 28 Days Later franchise
2002’s 28 Days Later is simply unmissable. Written by Alex Garland and directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), it’s everything a great zombie movie should be. Set in an eerily abandoned central London, 28 days after a viral outbreak, the film follows a young (and excellent) Cillian Murphy as he wakes from a coma to discover society has collapsed.
The virus was accidentally released, causes uncontrollable rage, and the infected are fast, violent and terrifying. Beautifully British, gritty and character-driven, the film balances horror with heart. A standout moment: a surreal, almost cheerful grocery store scene set to Grandaddy’s A.M. 180.
Five years after the original, a sequel – 28 Weeks Later – was released by a different team with a new cast. It’s mildly entertaining but leans into big Hollywood and lacks the grit and heart of the original, so it isn’t essential viewing.
Which is why 28 Years Later, released in June and the inspiration for this zombified film roundup, is so exciting: Boyle and Garland are back at the helm in all their Brit glory. The new instalment is exhilarating and worth seeing on the big screen – but it still doesn’t quite match the original.
Set (of course) 28 years later, the film explores what’s become of the few survivors, how society has devolved into something harsh and animalistic, and whether the infected still pose a threat. (Spoiler: they absolutely do.) It’s transfixing, artistic, gruesome and a bit weird. The ending is strange and leaves a lot unresolved, but with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple already filmed and on the way, some of those questions might soon get answers.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Film buffs will tell you Dawn of the Dead is essential viewing – and while it probably is, it’s unlikely to top many modern watchlists. Released in 1978 and written, directed, and edited by George A. Romero, it follows survivors who barricade themselves inside a shopping mall during a zombie outbreak. It’s often hailed as a seminal zombie film and a commentary on consumerism and society (blah blah, you get the idea).
Just be ready for some… choices – blueish-grey zombies (the makeup was a bold move), vivid pink blood that may make you crave strawberry ice cream, and the slowest zombies ever put to film. You could out-crawl them backwards or just tip them over. Still, it’s fun, a little bit camp, and a nice hit of retro mall nostalgia.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
From Dawn of the Dead to 2004’s Shaun of the Dead – a zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright and written by Wright and Simon Pegg – we go from grim to gleefully gory. This is a love letter to classic zombie films, especially Romero’s slow-walking undead.
It’s set in – of course – London. (Are the best zombie films always set in London?) Pegg stars as Shaun, a down-on-his-luck salesman who gets caught in a zombie apocalypse alongside his best mate (played by Nick Frost) and a ragtag group of loved ones.
The film nails that eerie idea: what if society is so self-involved and numb that no one would notice a zombie outbreak until it’s literally on their doorstep? Their first zombie encounter? They assume she’s drunk… and take a photo. It’s funny, clever and surprisingly emotional.
Bill Nighy is especially pitch-perfect as Shaun’s slow-turning stepdad, Philip. And of course, there’s that iconic Queen scene, with Don’t Stop Me Now blasting as a zombified senior citizen is beaten to death in a pub. Pure chaos. Pure genius.
World War Z (2013)
2013’s World War Z is the kind of zombie movie that could convert even the biggest genre sceptic, so maybe start here if you’re just beginning your undead film journey. Directed by Marc Forster and based on the 2006 novel by Max Brooks (son of comedy legend Mel Brooks), it follows Gerry (Brad Pitt, in one of his most underrated performances), a former UN investigator thrown back into action when a global virus begins turning people into zombies.
The story jumps across continents, leaving a trail of chaos, corpses and close calls. Highlights? Brad’s glorious hair deserves a five-star rating on its own, and the tense scene during which he walks unharmed through a sea of zombies after infecting himself with a deadly virus? Just wow.
This is blockbuster filmmaking at its slickest, packed with massive set pieces and top-tier special effects. But somehow, it still manages to hold onto the emotional core and grounded realism that make smaller zombie films so compelling.
Zombieland (2009)
It’s interesting how many zombie films lean into comedy, and Zombieland is one of the best. With a fantastic cast that includes Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Bill Murray, and direction by Ruben Fleischer, it’s fast, funny and surprisingly heartfelt.
The story follows four survivors – Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock – as they travel across zombie-ravaged America in search of a safe, undead-free zone. Eisenberg is at his neurotic best, frequently breaking the fourth wall to deliver his now-epochal “rules for survival”. Among them: do plenty of cardio (so you can run away), avoid bathrooms (too vulnerable), always buckle up, travel light and limber up.
Standout scenes? Anything involving Bill Murray, who plays himself in an unexpectedly brilliant cameo. There is a sequel to this one, titled Double Tap, but while it’s entertaining it’s nowhere near as good as the original.
Warm Bodies (2013)
Love a cushy romance? Don’t worry, we got you. This American romantic zombie comedy (that’s a lot of genres smooshed into one) was written and directed by Jonathan Levine and loosely inspired by Romeo and Juliet.
The story is narrated by R, a zombie played by Nicholas Hoult (is anyone else still amazed the awkward kid from About a Boy turned into this beautiful man?). As R starts interacting with a human girl, Julie, he slowly begins to regain his feelings, his memories… and his humanity.
It’s sweet, funny, and oddly wholesome. R shuffles around an abandoned airport, eats brains (through which he absorbs his victims’ memories), and listens to vinyl records – because, as he grumbles while spinning Missing You by John Waite, vinyl just sounds better. This is a hopeful, happy zombie movie, so you are likely to enjoy it even if the genre usually scares you off. Just be warned: Warm Bodies’ Bonies (skeletal, super-evil zombies) are genuinely creepy.
Cover image from Shaun of the Dead
Sign up to Currency’s weekly newsletters to receive your own bulletin of weekday news and weekend treats. Register here.
