The Zombiemovie genre has enjoyed mainstream popularity for the past 56 years, with its origins dating as far back as 1932. Since then, this horror theme has experienced several waves of popularity, especially since the creation of George A. Romero’s Living Dead Universe in 1968. However, certain titles inspired more significant upticks in zombie horror media than others, one of the most notable being the 2010 debut of the milestone zombie TV series The Walking Dead.
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The hoards of new zombie movies and TV shows that have followed in the wake of such titles have been unstoppable; while arguably overdone, the undead genre shows no signs of dying off now. Zombie horror owes its popularity to movies like Romero’s that avoided common genre tropes and brought something new and thrilling to the table. Whether by playing with the origin of the zombie outbreak, the speed and behavior of the zombies, the setting, or the character types, a handful of unconventional zombie movies changed the genre forever.
10 White Zombie (1932)
The Rise Of The Zombie Movie Genre
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Typically cited as the first zombie movie ever made, Victor Halperin’s White Zombie is responsible for the creation of the genre. Halperin’s premise originated from zombie folklore from 17th-century Haiti and Ancient Greece (via history.com). According to history.com, the concept came from the West African voodoo religion; potions or “zombie powders” were traditionally mixed by practitioners known as bokors, often incorporating tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin produced by pufferfish that can simulate death and create zombie-like behavior. In White Zombie, Bela Lugosi’s voodoo master character, Murder Legendre, transforms Madeleine Short (Madge Bellamy) into a zombie using just such a potion.
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White Zombie PassedHorror
Director Victor Halperin Release Date August 4, 1932 Writers Garnett Weston , William B. Seabrook Cast Béla Lugosi , Madge Bellamy , Joseph Cawthorn , Robert Frazer , John Harron , Brandon Hurst , George Burr MacAnnan , Frederick Peters Runtime 69 Minutes
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While poorly received, especially in contrast to the astounding success of other Bela Lugosi horror movies of its time, White Zombie set the stage for the future of the genre. Zombie movies have since taken a sharp turn away from the voodoo-laden folklore that inspired this initial foray, and yet many attributes of this lore and Halperin’s take on it carried over into modern interpretations of the undead. The creatures of the underrated classic White Zombie acted as the genesis of the soulless, mindless, and borderline-indestructible creatures we see in film today.
9 Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
The Resurrection Of The Zombie Movie Genre
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7.3/10 Night of the Living Dead xHorror
George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead did more than just invent the modern zombie, it revolutionized the horror genre. Following a small group of humans who hide in a secluded farmhouse when the dead begin to rise and crave human flesh, Night of the Living Dead examines the relationship between humanity and paranoia in times of crisis.
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*Availability in US Director George A. Romero Release Date October 4, 1968 Writers George A. Romero , John A. Russo Cast Judith O’Dea , Kyra Schon , Duane Jones , Marilyn Eastman , Karl Hardman Runtime 96 minutes Franchise(s) Living Dead Sequel(s) Dawn of the Dead , Diary of the Dead , Land of the Dead , Day of the Dead , George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead Expand
George A. Romero’s cult classic Night of the Living Dead breathed life into the zombie movie genre and created the zombie standards and tropes we still see today, such as the headshots-only zombie rule that is seen in shows such as The Walking Dead. It also created the classic Romero zombie: the mindless, slow-walking, cannibalistic living dead. The entirety of the film takes place within an abandoned farmhouse, paving the way for future zombie movies to be set in confined spaces, such as Train to Busan.
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Related Walking Dead Was Originally Created as a Tie-In to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead
While The Walking Dead has become a major reviver for zombies in the 21st century, Robert Kirkman originally wanted it to tie into a classic film.
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Night of the Living Dead‘s surprising political ending, as well as the casting of Duane Jones as Ben at a time when a Black lead was highly controversial, paved the way for future films about the undead to make social commentary on the living. This pioneering zombie movie grossed $238 thousand worldwide (which would be worth just over $2 million today) and led to multiple sequels, remakes, and reboots, many of which enjoyed similar success. The franchise is set to receive one final installment in 2025.
8 Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
The Best Zombie Movie Of All Time
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Often described as the best zombie movie of all time, this sequel to Night of the Living Dead is just as much a cult classic as its predecessor. Romero’s Living Dead Universe truly took off with this film, resulting in countless sequels and reboots, not to mention inspiring many other films within the genre. Strangely, despite its popularity, this sequel grossed around $160 thousand worldwide, $70 thousand less than the preceding film.
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7/10 Dawn of the Dead 18+HorrorAction
Director George Romero Release Date May 24, 1979 Writers George Romero Runtime 127 minutes Franchise(s) Living Dead
Dawn of the Dead continued the use of a confined space, its outbreak occurring in a shopping mall. This setting allows for exploration of the more widespread effects of the zombie apocalypse (such as mass hysteria) and simultaneously builds upon Romero’s social commentary from the original film, with the sequel’s themes revolving around capitalistic, consumer America. Today, even from beyond the grave, the creator of the Living Dead Universe continues to influence the genre: Romero’s daughter Tina Romero is keeping her father’s work going with her own upcoming sequel, Queens of the Dead.
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7 28 Days Later (2002)
Zombies, But Make Them Fast
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10/10 28 Days Later RDramaHorror Sci-Fi
28 Days Later is a horror movie about the zombie apocalypse directed by Danny Boyle. After Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma in a deserted hospital in London, he discovers that the city is overrun by the undead, so he joins forces with other survivors to try and make it out alive.
Director Danny Boyle Release Date June 27, 2003 Writers Alex Garland Cast Megan Burns , Cillian Murphy , Christopher Eccleston , Brendan Gleeson , Naomie Harris Runtime 113 minutes Sequel(s) 28 Weeks Later Expand See at AmazonSee at Walmart
Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later was the first post-2000 reimagining of the classic Romero slow-walkers as frighteningly fast-moving zombies. Although with far less success, Nightmare City (1980) was the first movie to use fast zombies. 28 Days Later challenges several tropes, not the least of which is the final girl, as Cillian Murphy acts instead as the final boy Jim.
Related 28 Years Later Casts 3 Major Stars In Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Sequel
The long-awaited horror sequel 28 Years Later, which reteams director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, adds three major stars to the cast.
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Some have debated whether 28 Days Later is a zombie movie due to the virus that causes the outbreak technically killing and reanimating the living, as opposed to taking effect only on the dead. The makers of the film have preferred to call their pseudo-zombies “infected,” but it is undeniable that this sort of deviation from the traditional Romero zombie is no longer unwelcome, and essential to redefining tropes and keeping the genre alive. It seems to be effective in doing so, as the movie’s second sequel 28 Years Later is expected soon.
6 Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
The Everyman Archetype Meets The Zombie Apocalypse
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While neither the first nor last zombie horror comedy made, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead is arguably the best balance of comedy and horror ever to grace the zombie movie genre. In this low-budget, cult classic comedy zombie movie, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play two everyday Londoners doing their best to survive a zombie outbreak.
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10/10 Shaun of the Dead RHorrorComedy
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*Availability in US Director Edgar Wright Release Date September 24, 2004 Writers Simon Pegg , Edgar Wright Cast Kate Ashfield , Nick Frost , Simon Pegg , Lucy Davis , Dylan Moran Runtime 99 minutes
This film makes some unexpected diversions from the common zombie movie tropes, such as the outbreak not being treated as the apocalypse and the lead characters being your relatable, nerdy Everyman rather than muscular military types. Although it is not the goriest zombie movie ever made, Shaun of the Dead still boasts a good deal of blood and guts. Additionally, while the main character’s arc deviates from the norm in this type of film, Shaun of the Dead has more than enough campy tropes to satisfy any cult zombie movie fan.
5 Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
The Resurrection Of The Best Zombie Movie Of All Time
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Zack Snyder’s 2004 reboot of Romero’s cult classic Dawn of the Dead is certainly not unconventional for the genre as a whole, but it did serve as an interesting reimagining of the 1978 original in several ways. The primary changes include a viral outbreak source (as opposed to radiation from an exploding space probe), fast-moving zombies replacing the slow-walking Romero creatures of old, and the addition of far more shock-value gore.
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Dawn of the Dead RActionHorror
Director Zack Snyder Release Date March 19, 2004 Writers George A. Romero , James Gunn Cast Sarah Polley , Ving Rhames , Mekhi Phifer , Jake Weber , Ty Burrell , Michael Kelly
Despite its box office success, the film has had a mixed reception among viewers and key players alike, with Romero himself and Shaun of the Dead actor Simon Pegg criticizing Snyder’s remake.Dawn of the Dead grossed $102 million worldwide compared to the 1978 film’s $160 thousand (this would be equivalent to about $774 thousand today). On the other hand, the remake scored 77% on the Tomatometer, versus the 1978 film’s 91%. Despite the higher gross, the consensus is made clear by this remake’s critical reception: the oldie is still a goodie.
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4 Warm Bodies (2013)
Zombies, But Make Them Romantic
Releasing just on the heels of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, Jonathan Levine’s Warm Bodies added a bit of spice to the zombie movie genre. Changing things up with not only a Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet-inspired romance but also sentient zombies, Levine’s Warm Bodies was a fresh take on a classic genre.
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9/10 Warm Bodies pg-13RomanceHorror
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*Availability in US Director Jonathan Levine Release Date January 31, 2013 Writers Jonathan Levine Cast Nicholas Hoult , Teresa Palmer , Dave Franco Runtime 97 Minutes
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While venturing into the realm of teen romance is more than enough to qualify this as an unconventional zombie movie, Warm Bodies‘ unexpected ending breaks one of the most common zombie rules. Furthermore, the source of the outbreak is left intentionally vague, with the main character being simply unable to remember what caused the zombie apocalypse to occur. The choice to leave this open to interpretation dodges the usual expectation of a viral or possibly even supernatural source; it also leaves room for a potential sequel.
3 World War Z (2013)
Zombies, But Make Them Tsunamis
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5.5/10 World War Z PG-13HorrorAdventureAction
Based on the novel by Max Brooks, World War Z tells the story of a world ravaged by a zombie virus. Former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) braves the apocalypse in search of a cure. He is tasked with finding the point of origin of the virus in order to synthesize a vaccine, reluctantly doing so in exchange for his family’s safety. His search takes him around the world, where he witnesses all the devastation of the apocalypse.
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*Availability in US Director Marc Foster Release Date June 21, 2013 Writers Matthew Michael Carnahan , Drew Goddard , Damon Lindelof Cast Brad Pitt , Daniella Kertesz , Mireille Enos , James Badge Dale Runtime 1h 56m Franchise(s) World War Z Expand
In addition to being the most expensive zombie movie ever made, World War Z achieved remarkable new heights in the world of zombie movie special effects. The tsunami-like waves created by the hoards of zombies are like nothing seen before in the genre and are terrifying even a decade later. The film had a mixed reception, owing to many production problems which led to a somewhat clumsy change to the original World War Z ending and the resultant collapse of the third act.
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Related 10 Best “Fast” Zombie Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Unlike their slow-moving and lethargic undead counterparts, fast zombies pose an even more deadly threat within the horror movie genre.
Despite its reception issues, World War Z created an interesting spin on the genre, focusing on the larger-scale, worldwide effects of the zombie apocalypse and a United Nations agent looking for a solution to the outbreak. The film also introduces the concept of a vaccine created to allow the living to survive the undead. While the relatively open ending has led many to hold out hope for a remake that could redeem the original film, some feel that the time that has passed and development issues mean a canceled World War Z sequel.
2 Train To Busan (2016)
The Modern-Day Contender For Best Zombie Movie Of All Time
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This South Korean zombie movie grossed even more than 28 Days Later. Train to Busan was simultaneously a game-changer for the genre and a callback to some of the original cult classics in the sense that the entire film takes place inside a train (parallel to Night of the Living Dead‘s farmhouse, or how Dawn of the Dead‘s a ). This isolation causes the viewer to learn about the outbreak alongside the characters, creating a much more realistic experience.
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9.5/10 Train to Busan tHorrorAction
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*Availability in US Director Yeon Sang-ho Release Date July 1, 2016 Writers Yeon Sang-ho Cast Gong Yoo Runtime 118minutes Sequel(s) Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula Expand
Many are unaware that Train to Busan has a prequel and sequel in its three-film series; these installments exist on polar opposite ends of the critical reception spectrum, with the prequel being far more well-received. As for the second installment, Train to Busan is fast-paced, action-packed, and gut-wrenching. It grossed $93 million worldwide and was met with critical acclaim.
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1 Cargo (2017)
The Only Zombie Movie Where The Main Character Is Bitten From The Start
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Lead characters, particularly when played by stars such as Martin Freeman, are often clad in impenetrable plot armor. This is not so in the character-driven and emotional zombie movie Cargo. Having the main character bitten very early on in the film and focusing the remainder of the events on his attempts to get his child to safety is a completely unique spin on the often trope-laden, overdone zombie movie.
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Cargo TV-MA Sci-FiThrillerDramaHorror
Director Yolanda Ramke , Ben Howling Release Date May 18, 2018 Writers Yolanda Ramke Cast Susie Porter , Anthony Hayes , Simone Landers , Caren Pistorius , Martin Freeman Runtime 105 minutes
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Cited as one of the most realistic zombie movies ever made, Cargo avoids the shock-value gore that is common in zombie horror, and yet it remains a dark, violent, and heartbreaking film, exploring themes of post-apocalyptic hopelessness and grief. Set in Australia, it briefly incorporates elements of Aboriginal spiritualism. These act as a somewhat similar plot element to the zombies from different folklore as adapted by White Vampire, and make Cargo perhaps the first modern zombie movie to reference this origin.
|
Movie |
Outbreak Source |
Transmission Type |
Rate of Turn |
Fast Vs. Slow Zombies |
New Elements Added |
Budget |
Box Office Gross (Worldwide) |
Critical Review |
Country of Origin |
|
White Zombie |
Voodoo |
Potion |
Seconds |
Slow |
|
$50,000 |
Unknown |
6.2/10 IMDb 86% Tomatometer |
United States |
|
Night of the Living Dead |
Radiation from exploding space probe |
N/A; all humans have been exposed |
Days |
Slow |
|
Unkown |
$237,994 |
7.8/10 IMDb 95% Tomatometer |
United States |
|
Dawn of the Dead |
Radiation from exploding space probe(?) |
N/A; all humans have been exposed |
Days |
Slow |
|
Unknown |
$159,822 |
7.8/10 IMDb 91% Tomatometer |
United States |
|
28 Days Later |
Bio-engineered virus (“Rage”) |
Bites or scratches, contact with bodily fluids |
Seconds |
Fast |
|
$8 million |
$85 million |
7.5/10 IMDb 87% Tomatometer |
United Kingdom |
|
Dawn of the Dead |
Virus |
Bites or scratches, but can also affect pregnancies if the mother is infected |
Minutes |
Fast |
|
$26 million |
$102 million |
7.2/10 IMDb 77% Tomatometer |
United States |
|
Shaun of the Dead |
Unknown |
Bites |
10-20 minutes |
Slow |
|
$3.3 million |
$32 million |
7.9/10 IMDb 92% Tomatometer |
United Kingdom |
|
Warm Bodies |
Unknown |
Bites |
Seconds |
Fast |
|
$35 million |
$117 million |
6.8/10 IMDb 81% Tomatometer |
United States |
|
World War Z |
Virus (“Solanum”) |
Bites or scratches, contact with bodily fluids |
23 hours from time of death |
Fast |
|
$190 million |
$540 million |
7.0/10 IMDb 67% Tomatometer |
United States |
|
Train to Busan |
Bio-engineered virus |
Bites or scratches |
Minutes to seconds |
Fast |
|
$8.5 million |
$93 million |
7.6/10 IMDb 95% Tomatometer |
South Korea |
|
Cargo (2017) |
Virus |
Bites or scratches |
48 hours |
Fast |
|
Unknown |
$56,385 |
6.3/10 IMDb 88% Tomatometer |
Australia |
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Source: History.com