Zombies carry echoes of the life of the past, reflecting their era and being the tombstone of a time and place. With no more room in Hell, the dead are going to walk on earth that is occupied with the thing that bothered them in the first place, consumerism, government oppression and violence. TechTrends put together a list of the best zombie movies and series of all time.
There are a lot of zombie movies out there that it is now its own genre and we have narrowed down a list of the best zombie movies and series ever made. The latest HBO series with zombie genre, The Last of Us, has brough the zombie adventures back to life. For those new to this world and those looking to expand their post-apocalyptic horizons, you have come to the right place. Look no further as we have a number of undead movies and series to get lost in while you wait for the next season of The Last of Us. Here we go.
Best Zombie Movies and Series
There are a plethora of movies and series gracing screens around the world with horror and supernatural themes. The greatest zombie movies and series have terrifying ones to comedy ones. Let’s get to the list without further ado.
13. World War Z 2013
- Genre: Horror/Action
- Director: Marc Forster
- Stars: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, Matthew Fox, Elyes Gabel, Michiel Huisman
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 66%, IMDb 7
Brad Pitt plays the role of ex U.N. investigator named Gerry Lane. He and his family are stuck in traffic and he knows that it is not just a traffic jam. When the city turns into chaos, he finds out that his suspicions are true. A virus spread and turned people into monsters. With the pandemic consuming humanity, Gerry has to lead a search for the source of the disaster and try to stop it from spreading. World War Z is among the best zombie movies and series of all time.
Read more: Best Brad Pitt Movies of All Time
12. Zombieland: Double Tap 2019
- Genre: Horror/Comedy
- Director: Ruben Fleischer
- Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Rosario Dawson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 68%, IMDb 6.7
Another one of the best zombie movies of all time is Zombieland: Double Tap, which came after ten years of the first movie. The movie is pretty much the same, but the plot is a little different, and there are some new jokes. However, the cast is the same, as well as the same director. Eisenberg showcases his talent as a comedy actor in the movie. Although many believe the first movie was better than this one, it is still watchable. Don’t miss it.
11. The Walking Dead 2010 – 2022
- Genre: Horror
- Stars: Norman Reedus, Andrew Lincoln, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 8.1
This zombie apocalypse series is based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book, with the initial idea of his work being “The zombie story that never ends!”. The Walking Dead has soon become a runaway success. Aside from the scares and the zombies, the series looks hard into the humanity of people who are living in a hostile world after being civilized for so long. Although the result of that look may hardly be pretty, this is among the best zombie movies and series of all time. The group of survivors are doing all their can to stay alive while they are consistently being hunted by zombies, who they refer to as “walkers”. The group is led by former police officer Rick Grimes, who searches for a safe and secure place for his people to settle in.
Read more: Best TV Shows of All Time
10. Day of the Dead 1985
- Genre: Horror/Sci-fi
- Director: George A. Romero
- Stars: Lori Cardille, Joe Pilato, Anthony Dileo Jr., Tom Savini
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 86%, IMDb 7.1
Day of the Dead is yet another one among the best zombie movies and series of all time. When the events of this movie occurred, the characters were already living alongside these creatures for a couple of years. The few people that are left are either soldiers or scientists. With soldiers working hard to destroy the undead neighbors, scientists try to search for a much deeper understanding. This movie is way clearer than the two that came before it, showing that hell is other people.
9. 28 Days Later 2002
- Genre: Horror/Sci-fi
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Stars: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Christopher Eccleston
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 87%, IMDb 7.5
The movie 28 Days Later came out in 2002, showing the unique fears of the new century. With the new virus spreading everywhere in Great Britain, the isle gets quarantine and those who survived are there to fend for themselves when the government collapses. The director, Danny Boyle, showed a world that fears its own future. He masterfully shows images of historical ethnic conflicts and genocide. We highly recommend this on the list of the best zombie movies and series ever.
8. All of Us Are Dead 2022 – Present
- Genre: Korean Drama
- Network: Netflix
- Stars: Park Solomon, Cho Yi-hyun, Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hoo, Yoo In-soo
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 87%, IMDb 7.5
Another one of the best zombie series of all time is All of Us Are Dead, which revolves around some high school kids. In a normal school day at a Korean high school, a student gets infected with a virus. The virus goes around in the school and in the peninsula, with the military interrogating the psychotic science teacher behind it all. Meanwhile, the students try to stay alive until they get help. This coming-of-age zombie apocalypse horror movie is among the best zombie movies and series ever made. It is a story based on the Naver webtoon Now at Our School by Joo Dong-geun, which came out between 2009 and 2011. The series brings young characters to focus with emotional depth and it is quite entertaining, particularly for those who are fans of zombie movies and series. Don’t miss it.
7. Braindead 1992
- Genre: Horror/Comedy
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Stars: Danny Pino, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Charlie Semine, Aaron Tveit, Tony Shalhoub
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 89%, IMDb 7.5
Braindead, also known as Dead Alive, is the filmmaking greatness that director Peter Jackson would get done in his Lord of the Rings trilogy. The young director at the time, had a blast with his cast and crew in the blood and guts, with the fun being palpable. In its core, it is a tale of a family dynamics. Some characters recur in the fiction and real life, including the overbearing mother, the doting son, the Sumatran rat-monkey that has infectious disease. Don’t miss this as it is among the best zombie movies and series of all time.
6. Zombieland 2009
- Genre: Horror/Comedy
- Director: Ruben Fleischer
- Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, Bill Murray, Amber Heard
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 89%, IMDb 7.6
For this variation of the zombie apocalypse, Jesse Eisenberg, playing Columbus, finds himself in a world of flesh-eating zombies, doing all he can to get from the college dorm to his hometown to check on his parents. He has a number of rules that keep him alive. Then, he meets Tallahassee, portrayed by Woody Harrelson, and the two decide to go together. However, when they stop at a grocery store, two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, featured by Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, respectively, con them out of their car and weapons. Nevertheless, they meet again and suggest a truce, heading to LA hoping to find shelter. Zombieland has smart writing, and its hilarious effects make it a must-watch. This is also among the best Zombie movies and series of all time.
Read more: Best Jesse Eisenberg Movies of All Time
5. Rec 2007
- Genre: Horror/Thriller
- Directors: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza
- Stars: Manuela Velasco, Pablo Rosso, Javier Botet, Jorge-Yamam Serrano
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.4
In the movie Rec, a group of camera people and a reporter go after a team of firefighters who get a distress call regarding a woman who is aggressive. When they find out that the elderly woman is infected, everyone in the building is put into quarantine. The filmmakers of this movie could not have known how prophetic their movie of societal breakdown actually was. It was disturbing, showing frightened people who were under lockdown. This is indeed one of the best zombie movies and series of all time.
4. Shaun of the Dead 2004
- Genre: Horror/Comedy
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Stars: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Jessica Hynes
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.9
Shaun of the Dead is director Edgar Wright story of showing life which is complicated and exhausting. It shows everyday stuff, from dealing with relationships to getting to work on a daily basis, making going against zombies more preferable. The 30-year-old Shaun is a loser with an easy existence. He lives with his friend Ed on a flat in London when he is not working. Liz is the only unpredictable element of Shaun’s life, but she is waiting for him to grow up and become a man. When the zombies attack, Shaun has to rise to the occasion and keep Liz and his mother safe. This is also one of the best zombie movies and series of all time.
3. Train to Busan 2016
- Genre: Horror, action
- Director: Yeon Sang-ho
- Stars: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Yeon Sang-ho, Jung Yu-mi
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 7.6
Train to Busan is quite simply one of the best zombie movies ever set in South Korea. It follows a man and his daughter as they board a fast train from Seoul to Busan during a zombie outbreak. It is unique, brilliant, and of the best zombie movies and series of all time. Then, the passengers have to fight for their survival and protect their loved ones. This is another must-watch Korean film that takes on one of the most classic genres, the zombie apocalypse. One of the key themes of this horror movie is how important empathy is.
2. Night of the Living Dead 1968
- Genre: Horror/Sci-fi
- Director: George A. Romero
- Stars: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Tony Todd
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 96%, IMDb 7.8
The movie Night of the Living Dead is about a disparate group of people who take refuge in a house as the dead start to leave the graveyard looking for bodies to kill. Ben, portrayed by Duane Jones, tries to control the situation; however, when the bodies surround the house, the survivors get scared. Zombies then find their way inside one by one, with the living humans becoming their prey. This is yet another one on the list of the best zombie movies and series of all time.
1. The Last of Us 2023 – Present
- Genre: Drama
- Network: HBO
- Stars: Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Ashley Johnson, Anna Torv, Nick Offerman
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 96%, IMDb 9
The new HBO series that came out in 2023 is about an outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungus, which ravages the States in 2013. The fungus is able to turn the human hosts into creatures known as the infected and they behave aggressively, killing other people. Joel, played by Troy Baker, gets out of the chaos of Austin, Texas with his brother Tommy, portrayed by Jeffrey Pierce and daughter Sarah. The series shows the events of 20 years later, with Bella Ramsey playing the role of Ellie, who is immune to the infection. Therefore, Joel is trying to protect her until they get her to a safe place. The Last of Us is indeed one of the best zombie movies and series ever.