Netflix is jam-packed with horror movies, but what if you’re in the mood for something distinctly living dead? Whether the zombies you’re after are the classic shuffling type or the rabidly quick, Netflix has you covered.
Many of the streaming giant’s current crop of zombie films come from the undead’s 21st-century resurgence, but they can’t escape the long shadow cast by George Romero’s genre-defining Trilogy of the Dead.
The range is broad, from horror gorefests to comedy spins, with the apocalypse hitting countries across the planet, including Korea, Canada, Australia, and the UK. If you’re looking for a bite and a shuffle this Halloween, or just some brainless fun, a zombie splurge could be just what you’re looking for.
What zombie movies can you catch on Netflix right now? Here are the ones available worldwide.
Army of the Dead (2021)
Netflix’s highest-profile zombie movie arrived with a bang in May 2021. Zack Snyder has plenty of experience with the undead⏤his debut film was a remake of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. As its name suggests, Snyder devised Army of the Dead as a spiritual successor to that film, with the stakes raised by a daring heist in a condemned Las Vegas packed with zombies. Dave Bautista’s mercenary leads a motley crew of thieves and soldiers in a film with big ambition. Snyder isn’t messing around here. He adds red herrings, mysterious subplots, double-crosses, and the hint of an intriguing parallel timeline in what Netflix hopes is the start of a major franchise.
Prequel feature Army of Thieves arrives on the streamer on Oct. 29 and is set during the early years of the zombie outbreak. Following that is the anime series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, which is set to catch up with many of the film’s cast during their earlier adventures at the peak of the zombie apocalypse. A direct sequel to Army of the Dead titled Planet of the Dead is also in the cards.
Cargo (2017)
This post-apocalyptic drama follows a family’s journey through the effects of a global virus outbreak that has turned most of the population rabid. Considered a successor to The Road, this is the film to watch if you’re after a more cerebral and emotional zombie experience. Martin Freeman plays Andy, a new father trying to guide his family to safety in rural Australia. Cargo explores the problematic situations and difficult decisions that come in a world overrun with a zombie virus. Not everything is black and white during the apocalypse.
Day of the Dead: Bloodline (2018)
Bloodline currently has wider exposure on Netflix than the film that inspired it. It’s the second remake of Romero’s 1985 classic, which completed his Trilogy of the Dead. It’s self-contained, so you don’t have to worry about its predecessors. This reimagining is more gratuitous and less subtle than Romero’s original⏤think superhumanly quick zombies wearing their victims’ organs around their necks. But it’s also one of the most forgettable films to take inspiration from Romero’s classics. Still, if you like your zombies on a lower budget, this could be your picture. Just don’t think too hard about how effective a zombie vaccination would be against a horde of undead that mostly enjoys taking a big bite out of the jugular.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021)
Before Squid Game, there was Kingdom, Netflix’s first original Korean series. Adapted from the webcomic series The Kingdom of the Gods, it follows Crown Prince Lee Chang’s 16th century investigation into and attempts to contain a mysterious plague that’s reviving the dead in his kingdom. It’s worth watching if you’re missing some political horror in your life.
Ashin of the North was released at the end of the second series in July 2021. It’s a special feature-length prequel that follows the character of Ashin, who first appeared in the second season, and explores the origin of the mysterious resurrections.
Here are some zombie flicks available on Netflix outside of the United States.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Edgar Wright’s 2004 homage to the Romero movies features gore, laughs, and evident affection for zombie films. Like its inspiration, the undead overtaking London are the classic shuffling kind, and there’s plenty of comedy and horror to be mined from them. Shaun of the Dead features great set pieces, superb music choices, and some gruesome moments to match its jokes.
If you’re ever caught in a zombie invasion, remember to keep your vinyl collection close at hand, although you may never hear Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now the same way again after watching this.
#Alive (2020)
This well-regarded South Korean zombie movie twists the formula by following a video game live streamer trapped in his family’s apartment in Seoul during a zombie apocalypse. The film has been praised for its exploration of loneliness and isolation, mirroring issues experienced worldwide when it was released during the global pandemic. This is one of the more successful examples of the zombie genre’s ability to highlight broader societal issues.
Zombieland (2009) / Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)
If you’re after zombie comedy, this double-bill might be just the ticket. The trick to Zombieland is that the central character, Jesse Eisenberg’s Columbus, survives the apocalypse thanks to his strict set of rules. The mismatched group of survivors he joins, comprised of Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin, keeps the jokes flowing, backed by some serious firepower. The first film also features one of the greatest and funniest cameos in film history.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Before unleashing his Army of the Dead, Zack Snyder made his directing debut with this energetic remake of George Romero’s 1970s classic of the same name. Scripted by James Gunn, it set out to reinvigorate the zombie genre, and along with Shaun of the Dead and 28 Days Later, it did that well. It may lack the satirical and social punch of Romero’s original, but it makes up for it with thrills and plenty of gore.
Cockneys vs. Zombies (2012)
This well-received 2012 British horror-comedy is more than a knock-off of Shaun of the Dead as a zombie outbreak hits the East End of London. Solid direction from Matthias Hoene and a sharp script from James Moran ensure it does exactly what its title suggests.
Ravenous (2018)
Ravenous is a French-Language Canadian horror flick that tracks the effects of a zombie outbreak on survivors in rural Quebec. It’s won many fans with its cinematic take on the undead apocalypse, combining politics, philosophy, and scares in one of the genre’s more cerebral movies.
The Dead Don’t Die (2019)
Jim Jarmusch’s unexpected horror-comedy might have the greatest cast list of any zombie film. Tilda Swinton, Tom Waits, Selena Gomez, and Iggy Pop show up to support Bill Murray and Adam Driver’s small-town cops as they tackle a zombie invasion. It’s not quite horror enough for some and not quite as smart as others expected from its director, but it’s one of the quirkiest films in the sub-genre.
Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008) / Resident Evil: Damnation (2012) / Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017)
The Resident Evil video game series played a major part in zombies’ return to popular culture in the 21st century. It was inevitable that the franchise would cross over to the movies and, unlike the live-action films, Sony’s infrequent computer-animated features continue the story straight from the console series.
Of the three, Damnation is the best-regarded. It follows Resident Evil 2’s Leon S. Kennedy as he tackles familiar virus-afflicted monsters during the Eastern Slav Republic’s civil war. While they provide the opportunity to reunite classic character combinations from the games, Resident Evil’s animated movies often play as extended cut scenes.
