If you are looking for zombie apocalypse movies, this list is for you.
There are plenty of movies that involve the end of the world, deadly viruses, monsters, aliens or some kind of disaster. But not all of them are zombie movies. For this list, I am keeping the definition strict.
A movie belongs here only when zombies or the undead are central to the story and the outbreak creates a widespread survival situation or zombie apocalypse.
That means movies like The Road, Mad Max, War of the Worlds, Bird Box, Cloverfield and Interstellar are not included, even though they are excellent movies about survival or the end of civilization.
I have also separated movies such as 28 Days Later from the main list because its infected characters are not technically undead zombies. It is often included in zombie lists, but I want this particular list to stay strictly focused on zombies.
Best Zombie Apocalypse Movies to Watch
Before getting into the full list, here are some of the movies I would recommend first. This is not a ranking. They are simply the titles I think are worth watching.
Train to Busan
If you have never watched Train to Busan, start here.
A father and his daughter board a train from Seoul to Busan just as a zombie outbreak begins spreading across South Korea. What makes the movie work so well is the combination of fast-paced action, emotional characters and terrifying zombies. See My Best Korean Zombie Movies You Need to Watch
It currently has a 7.6/10 IMDb rating and a 95% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
This is one of the most important zombie movies ever made.
George A. Romero’s classic follows survivors who take refuge inside a shopping mall while zombies overrun the surrounding area. It is not just about killing zombies; the movie also uses the apocalypse to comment on consumer culture and society.
Rotten Tomatoes currently gives it a 92% Tomatometer score, calling it one of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films.
Dawn of the Dead on Rotten Tomatoes
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
If you prefer modern action and faster zombies, watch Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead.
A group of survivors hides inside a shopping mall after a zombie outbreak destroys their normal lives. It is violent, fast and much more action-heavy than Romero’s original.
IMDb currently lists it at 7.2/10.
Dawn of the Dead (2004) on IMDb
Night of the Living Dead
If you want to understand where modern zombie cinema came from, this is essential.
The 1968 George A. Romero movie follows a group of people trapped inside a farmhouse while flesh-eating undead surround the building.
Rotten Tomatoes currently lists it at 95%, while IMDb has it at 7.8/10.
Night of the Living Dead on Rotten Tomatoes
Zombieland
If you want something lighter, Zombieland is one of the easiest recommendations.
It follows four survivors travelling across zombie-infested America. The movie mixes zombie action with comedy and memorable characters.
IMDb currently has it at 7.5/10, while Rotten Tomatoes lists an 89% Tomatometer score.
Shaun of the Dead
This is another great choice if you like zombie movies with comedy.
Shaun’s ordinary life falls apart when a zombie apocalypse begins around him. It combines comedy, horror and surprisingly good character development.
IMDb currently lists it at 7.8/10, and Rotten Tomatoes lists it at 92%.
World War Z
If you want a global zombie apocalypse, this is one of the best choices.
Instead of focusing on one house or one small group, the movie shows the outbreak spreading across different countries as governments struggle to respond.
The scale is what makes World War Z different from many other movies in this category.
Army of the Dead
This is another good choice if you prefer large-scale action.
The story takes place after Las Vegas has been overrun by zombies. A group of mercenaries enters the quarantined city for a dangerous mission.
It is more action movie than traditional slow-burn horror, but it fits the zombie-apocalypse category.
One Cut of the Dead
This is a very different recommendation.
A low-budget film crew making a zombie movie encounters what appear to be real zombies. The movie is unusual and becomes much more clever as it progresses.
Rotten Tomatoes’ current zombie ranking places it at #1 among its 100 Best Zombie Movies, while IMDb lists it at 7.6/10.
The Battery
If you want something smaller and more focused on survival, try The Battery.
Two survivors travel through a post-apocalyptic New England filled with undead. It is slower than Train to Busan or World War Z, but it focuses more heavily on the relationship between the survivors.
IMDb currently lists it at 6.2/10.
REC
REC is a more claustrophobic take on the outbreak.
A television reporter and cameraman enter an apartment building with emergency workers and soon discover that something terrible is happening inside.
It is intense and much more focused on horror than large-scale action.
Overlord
If you want zombies mixed with military action, Overlord is worth watching.
Set during World War II, the movie follows soldiers who discover something horrifying behind enemy lines.
It is not a traditional zombie-apocalypse movie in the same way as Dawn of the Dead, but the undead are central enough to the story to make it a worthwhile recommendation.
Complete List of Zombie Apocalypse Movies
The list below is arranged by release year, from newest to oldest. It is not ranked by quality.
2021
- Army of the Dead
2019
- Zombieland: Double Tap
- The Dead Don’t Die
2018
- Overlord
- The Night Eats the World
2017
- The End?
- Cargo
- One Cut of the Dead
2016
- Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
2015
- Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
- Maggie
2014
- The Dead, the Damned and the Darkness
2013
- World War Z
- Warm Bodies
2012
- Resident Evil: Retribution
- Cockneys vs Zombies
- The Battery
2011
- Zombie Apocalypse
- State of Emergency
- Collapse of the Living Dead
- Zombie Diaries 2
2010
- Resident Evil: Afterlife
- The Dead
2009
- Zombieland
- Survival of the Dead
- Dead Snow
- [REC]²
2008
- Day of the Dead
2007
- Resident Evil: Extinction
- Diary of the Dead
- [REC]
2005
- Land of the Dead
2004
- Dawn of the Dead
- Shaun of the Dead
2002
- Resident Evil
1968
- Night of the Living Dead
See>>>Â Best Famous Zombie Movies Ever: My Top Zombie Movies
Zombie Movies vs. Other Apocalypse Movies
This is where many online lists become confusing.
A movie does not automatically become a zombie movie just because civilization has collapsed.
For this list, I would not include:
- Mad Max
- The Road
- The Book of Eli
- War of the Worlds
- Bird Box
- Cloverfield
- Interstellar
- Snowpiercer
- Love and Monsters
- A Quiet Place
- The Mist
- The Day After Tomorrow
- After Earth
- The Crazies
- Stake Land
These may be post-apocalyptic, survival, alien, monster, vampire or outbreak movies, but they aren’t strictly zombie-apocalypse movies.
What About 28 Days Later?
This is where things get interesting.
I would not put 28 Days Later or 28 Weeks Later in the strict main list.
They are commonly discussed alongside zombie movies, and IMDb’s community zombie lists frequently include them.
However, the creatures are infected humans rather than undead zombies. Therefore, for a clean website category, I would place them under:
Zombie-Like / Infected Apocalypse Movies
That separate list could include:
- 28 Days Later
- 28 Weeks Later
- The Crazies
- Planet Terror
- other infected-human movies
This keeps the main zombie category much more accurate.
My Recommended 10
If I had to give someone just 10 movies to start with, without ranking them, these would be my picks:
- Train to Busan
- Dawn of the Dead (1978)
- Dawn of the Dead (2004)
- Night of the Living Dead
- Zombieland
- Shaun of the Dead
- World War Z
- Army of the Dead
- [REC]
- One Cut of the Dead
These cover several different styles: classic horror, modern action, comedy, Korean zombie cinema, found footage, large-scale apocalypse and more.
Final Thoughts
There are hundreds of movies that get called zombie movies, but I think a good list should have a clear definition.
For this list, zombies have to actually be part of the story. A movie about the end of civilization isn’t automatically a zombie movie, and a movie about an infectious disease isn’t automatically a zombie movie.
That is why I would keep Train to Busan, Dawn of the Dead, Zombieland, World War Z and Army of the Dead here, while moving movies like 28 Days Later, The Road, I Am Legend and War of the Worlds into separate categories.
The list can also continue to grow as new zombie movies are released.
James
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