There have probably been hundreds of zombie movies made by now, and plenty of them are worth watching. But if you’re new to the genre or just making your way through the classics, we’ve narrowed it down to a few of our favorite picks to get you started on the best zombie films out there.
What are the best Zombie movies as of 2025?
Though zombies have been gnawing at the silver screen since 1932’s White Zombie, it wasn’t until George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead that the genre truly came to life. Since then, countless variations have emerged across every imaginable subgenre, from terrifying horror to dark comedy, romance, sci-fi, musicals, and even animation. We’ve remained fascinated by these soulless, hungry remnants of humanity, constantly reinvented to reflect new fears and cultural anxieties. Decades later, zombies still manage to thrill, horrify, and even amuse us.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead defined the modern zombie genre. The story follows a group of strangers trapped in a rural farmhouse as the dead inexplicably rise and begin to feast on the living. Claustrophobic and shockingly bleak for its time, Night of the Living Dead transcends being a creature feature, doubling as a social commentary on race and class tensions in the 1960s.
Shot on a shoestring budget in Pennsylvania, the film was co-written by Romero and John A. Russo and produced independently through Romero’s Latent Image production company. Despite its low budget and lack of big-name actors, Night of the Living Dead became a cultural phenomenon, reinvigorating interest in the genre. The film grossed over $30 million worldwide, and of course, today we know it as one of the classics in horror cinema.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The follow-up film, Dawn of the Dead, deserves its own spot on this list. With this sequel, George A. Romero expanded his zombie universe to apocalyptic proportions, moving from the claustrophobic farmhouse of Night of the Living Dead to the glittering symbol of 1970s America: the shopping mall. A small group of survivors takes refuge while surrounded by endless hordes of the undead. One of the film’s most memorable exchanges captures its eerie (and absurdly funny) poignancy: “What are [the zombies] doing? Why do they come here?” “Some kind of instinct. Memory. What they used to do. This was an important place in their lives.” Even in death, the zombies are drawn back to the mall. Not their homes. The mall. It’s funny and tragic at the same time.
Amidst the screaming crowds and scenes of zombified family members devouring their kin, Dawn of the Dead also operates as a razor-sharp satire of consumer culture. At first glance, you might think the mall is a great setting and a sensible base during a zombie invasion. But Romero is intentional with his choice, and uses the mall not just as a setting, but as a mirror to reflect humanity’s obsession with consumption, even in the face of extinction, and even from beyond the grave.
28 Days Later (2002)
We’re jumping forward to Danny Boyle’s 2002 film 28 Days Later — a dark, bleak, and almost hopeless vision of the end of the world. While those adjectives might not sell the movie on their own, they perfectly capture the tone of a story that imagines what happens when contagion tears society apart from within. It’s a nightmare that feels disturbingly plausible, especially in hindsight. Thankfully, we never had to face zombies ourselves. With this film, Boyle didn’t just revive the genre — he redefined it for the 21st century, crafting not only a groundbreaking horror film but arguably the first great apocalypse movie of the new millennium.
Departing from the slow, shambling undead of earlier classics, Boyle unleashed the terrifyingly fast, rage-fueled infected. After animal activists release an infected chimpanzee, the world descends into chaos. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes from a coma 28 days after the initial outbreak to find London eerily deserted. Teaming up with fellow survivors Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and Selena (Naomie Harris), he tries to navigate their way to safety — though it quickly becomes clear that the infected aren’t the only danger. Shot in a raw, handheld digital style, the film feels unnervingly real. If the vast, empty landscapes aren’t dread-inducing enough, the hauntingly believable chases and jump scares should do it for you.
If you like this one, check out the sequel, 28 Years Later.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
If Danny Boyle reimagined the zombie film for the apocalyptic modern era, Edgar Wright gave us a hilarious parody and heartfelt love letter to the zombie genre. The film follows Shaun, an aimless Londoner who lives with a flatmate in London’s Crouch End. After his girlfriend dumps him, an unfortunate circumstance timed perfectly with an even worse zombie apocalypse, Shaun decides to heroically save his ex-girlfriend and win back her affection. One of the things the Brits do the best is dry humor, and this particular skill used within the context of a zombie film is exceptionally satisfying.
Shaun of the Dead was written by Wright and Simon Pegg, who also stars as Shaun. It was mainly shot in and around North London on a modest budget and became a breakout hit internationally, launching the creators into mainstream success. It’s incredibly clever, likeable, and is chock-full of pop-culture nods and comedic gags cleverly laid into well-shot long-takes (or oners, in film lingo). It’s hard not to love this movie.
Train to Busan (2016)
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan brings us right back into pure, relentless tension as a zombie outbreak unfolds aboard a speeding train. What starts as an ordinary trip quickly spirals when passengers realize the infection is spreading faster than they can outrun it. At the center is a workaholic father, Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), and his young daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an), who are in a desperate fight for survival as the undead close in from every carriage. Train to Busan has a lot going for it, and what could be a letdown of a zombie-action movie, Yeon Sang-ho carefully balances all of the elements to make it work. There’s definitely Danny Boyle and George A. Romero influence here, plus a tinge of South Korean horror from filmmakers like Boon Joon Ho. As The Guardian review put it, Train to Busan is “faster on its feet than 2004’s Dawn of the Dead remake, wittier than *Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and more thrillingly spectacular than World War Z.”
Train to Busan premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews. Produced by Next Entertainment World, it became a massive box-office hit across Asia and internationally. While the film has everything it needs to be entertaining, the core commentary is that the people who try to save themselves first will be the ones who suffer. There is very much a takeaway that even in an apocalypse, what separates us from the raging, soulless infected is in our ability to look out for each other. What makes us human? How do we hold onto our humanity when the world collapses?
How we picked the best zombie movies
With so many fantastic zombie movies to choose from, we narrowed the list to highlight the best zombie movies across the most popular subgenres. We focused on films that not only entertained us, but also changed the way we think about and make zombie movies.
If you’re looking for even more chills and thrills to keep you entertained all through October, check out our guide for the best Halloween movies.
