Zombie films are nothing new. In fact, they date back as far as the 1930s. Since then, they’ve since been popularized by the legendary George A. Romero through such classics as Night of the Living Dead, as well as in more recent iterations, like 28 Days Later and the series The Walking Dead. That being said, the zombie genre (or arguably horror subgenre) is still alive and kicking to this day. From action-packed thrill rides to dark turns that leave us pondering, this gory brand of cinema has survived all these years thanks to filmmakers being willing to twist the genre to make it their own.
Netflix continues to offer a variety of critically acclaimed movies based on the undead. From Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead and its spinoffs to zombie films with international flair, here’s a closer look at the best offerings currently on the popular streamer.
Updated June 2025: If you’re a fan of blood-pumping action (and still have a Netflix subscription), you’ll be happy to know that this article has been updated with additional content.
11
Don’t Kill Me (2021)
Don’t Kill Me or Non Mi Uccidere is the story of young love cut short by a drug overdose… or so it seems. In it, Mirta, played by Alice Pagani, awakens with a distinct craving for human flesh. Now she must prey upon humans in order to stay alive.
A Certified Popcorn Horror Flick
This stylistic and unsettling zombie interpretation has Netflix’s penchant for teenage angst written all over it. While this movie certainly doesn’t have the best online reviews, this Italian-language film, based on the YA book by cult author Chiara Palazzolo, has all the makings of a Friday Night Flick… for better or worse.
10
Valley of the Dead (2020)
Valley of the Dead, also known as Malnazidos, is set during the Spanish Civil War in 1938. The story chases two opposing platoons who join forces in order to survive an intense onslaught of the undead following a nefarious Nazi experiment. Now the warring sides must unite to protect the civilians of their country despite their own inner turmoil and hate, all while the zombies leave blood and gore in their terrifying wake.
A Heart-Racing Adaptation
The adrenaline-pumping Spanish picture is an adaptation of Manuel Martín Ferreras’ novel Noche de Difuntos del 38, and, needless to say, it’s a fun and unique take on the ever-popular zombie genre. The film had its worldwide premiere at the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned positive reviews for its impressive production design, sharp humor, and sensational action sequences. Valley of the Dead has also been nominated for two of Spain’s prestigious Goya Awards.
9
Cargo (2017)
Cargo
- Release Date
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May 18, 2018
- Runtime
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105 minutes
- Director
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Yolanda Ramke, Ben Howling
The Outback serves as the unusually haunting backdrop to a zombie outbreak in this Australian horror film, which takes a restrained, character-driven approach to the apocalypse. Cargo follows Andy (Martin Freeman), who must navigate the dangerous new normal of Australia’s zombie-infested interior alongside his wife and infant daughter.
A Terrifying Zombie Tale in the Outback
This post-apocalyptic horror drama film from Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke was based on their 2013 short film of the same name. It received positive reviews from critics and was praised by all for its emotional depth and Freeman’s performance, though some argue the project is a nod to the 2009 film The Road, starring Viggo Mortensen.
8
#Alive (2020)
#Alive
- Release Date
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September 8, 2020
- Runtime
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98 Minutes
- Director
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Il Cho
The recent zombie film out of South Korea revolves around a video game live streamer’s struggle for survival as he is forced to stay alone at his Seoul apartment during a zombie apocalypse. As the grisly virus takes hold of the city, the streamer remains locked in his apartment, cut off from the world, but with a dogged will to survive nonetheless.
A Gamer Faces the Apocalypse
#Alive, also known as #Saraitda, premiered on Netflix in September 2020. It achieved global first place on the platform just two days later, going on to top the Netflix daily chart in 35 countries. It ultimately became the first Korean film to top the Netflix Movies Worldwide chart.
7
Army of the Dead (2021)
Zack Snyder delivered one of the great modern zombie movies in 2004 with his Dawn of the Dead remake, and his grand return to zombie horror is scaled suitably to size. Army of the Dead, starring Dave Bautista, turns Vegas into a hive of undead depravity. The opening credits sequence (a Snyder specialty) presents this takeover in a series of slow-motion tableaux that easily set up a promising franchise.
Snyder Dominates the Zombie Game Once Again
Critics praised the humor in the film, which became one of the most-watched originals on Netflix with an estimated 75 million viewers. The film spawned the prequel Army of Thieves, the upcoming anime series Lost Vegas, and a direct sequel titled Planet of the Dead, which is currently in stop-and-go development.
6
Atlantics (2019)
This supernatural romantic drama was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and has since received critical acclaim. The story of Atlantics, also known as Atlantique, centers around a young woman and her partner struggling in the face of unemployment, class, migration, crime, family struggles, and, of course, zombies. Or are they ghosts?
A Modern Spin on the Zombie Genre
The mysterious illness caught by some of the characters is ultimately revealed as men formerly lost at sea returning to take possession of Dakar’s inhabitants on the Atlantic coast. Some may argue Atlantics isn’t strictly a zombie film; however, director Mati Diop does offer a mysterious examination of the unquiet dead that more than secures it a spot on this list.
5
Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme (2023)
The final installment in the horror anthology series Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme tells three uniquely chilling stories entitled “Glitch,” “Muckbang,” and “Rage,” with the concluding segment centering on Trina (Jane de Leon) as she and her friends set out on a camping excursion to watch a once in a lifetime meteor shower. Unbeknownst to the group, fragments of the meteorite are carrying a parasite that causes its victims to become violent zombies, causing a global outbreak known as the “rage-borne disease.”
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An Electrifying Horror Anthology Story
Lauded by the Philippine Daily Inquirer as one of “the best ever made in the Philippines in the last 20 years,” Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme features Trina and her friends as they try to survive the relentless onslaught of the dead plaguing their village. Not only is there the terrifying threat of zombies in the story, who are smarter than normal and unnervingly fast-moving, but there’s also the element of a parasitic creature causing the worldwide outbreak.
4
The Dead Don’t Die (2019)
For those searching for a little more lighthearted zombie content need not look further than the absurdist comedy The Dead Don’t Die, which touts a stacked ensemble cast led by Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, and Steve Buscemi and takes place in the sleepy small town of Centerville where its tiny and underwhelming police force must attempt to keep the citizens safe from a sudden zombie invasion.
Murray & Driver Create Horror Movie Magic
Directed by Jim Jarmusch (Coffee and Cigarettes, Only Lovers Left Alive), the comedy features hilariously deadpan performances by Murray and Driver, who play ill-equipped police officers forced to tackle the unexpected virus plaguing their community. The charming duo’s easy-going chemistry, their interactions with Centerville’s eccentric townsfolk (both those living and dead), and their homage to zombie classics helped make The Dead Don’t Die a worthy and entertaining flick just waiting to be watched.
3
Outside (2024)
Outside
- Release Date
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October 11, 2024
- Runtime
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141 Minutes
- Director
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Carlo Ledesma
- Writers
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Carlo Ledesma
Set on a sugarcane plantation where the Abel family seeks refuge after fleeing the city following a zombie outbreak, Outside follows patriarch Francis, his wife Iris, and their two sons as they hunker down at their sprawling farmhouse and attempt to wait out the terror and carnage ravaging the land. Hoping to reclaim some semblance of their everyday normal life, the Abels are subsequently forced to confront the many skeletons in their closets with the threat of the undead constantly looming.
An Innovative Depiction of the Undead
Francis descends into madness as he is haunted by the memories of his violent childhood and the zombified versions of his parents, with his increasingly erratic behavior causing a devastating domino effect on his family. Director Carlo Ledesma was inspired by films like the Mad Max franchise and The Day After when penning the screenplay, and he made the refreshing decision to make the zombies capable of speaking in order to keep them from simply being portrayed as “mindless monsters.”
2
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
George Romero is a hard act to follow, but Zack Snyder was certainly up to the task. This remake of (arguably) one of Romero’s best films was released at the precipice of the zombie’s popularity resurgence, just two years after 28 Days Later. This version of Dawn of the Dead film follows a ragtag group of survivors who take refuge in a mall. Snyder is known for his intense action scenes and use of visual effects, and he did not disappoint here. The crew even resorted to using plastic sheeting during filming as they were constantly in the splash zone.
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Romero’s Lukewarm Reaction to the Remake
Romero, as it turned out, said he had mixed feelings about this film and others like it in an interview with The Telegraph. “My film needed to be done right when it was done, because that sort of shopping mall was completely new. It was the first one in Pennsylvania that we had ever seen. The heart of the story is based on that. And I didn’t think the remake had it.” To be fair, comparing his satire on capitalism to an action thriller is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. Still, it’s well worth the watch.
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