TheZombiemovie genre has delight mainstream popularity for the past 56 geezerhood , with its origins dating as far back as 1932 . Since then , this repugnance theme has experienced several waves of popularity , especially since the creation ofGeorge A. Romero ’s Living Dead Universein 1968 . However , certain title animate more significant upticks in zombie repulsion medium than others , one of the most renowned being the 2010 debut of the milestone automaton TV seriesThe Walking Dead .

The hoards of new living dead motion-picture show and TV show that have followed in the wake of such title have been unstoppable;while arguably overdone , the undead music genre shows no signs of die off now . Zombie horror owe its popularity to motion picture like Romero ’s that avoided vulgar music genre image and convey something new and thrill to the tabular array . Whether by play with the descent of the zombie outbreak , the pep pill and behavior of the zombies , the mount , or the fibre types , a handful of improper snake god movies changed the genre forever .

10White Zombie (1932)

The Rise Of The Zombie Movie Genre

Typically abduce as the first zombie movie ever made , Victor Halperin’sWhite Zombieis responsible for the origination of the genre . Halperin ’s assumption develop from zombi folklore from 17th - C Haiti and Ancient Greece ( viahistory.com ) . According to history.com , the concept came from the West African voodoo religion ; potions or “ zombie pulverisation ” were traditionally mixed by practitioner known asbokors , often incorporating tetrodotoxin , a neurotoxin produced by pufferfish that can simulate death and create zombie spirit - like behaviour . InWhite Zombie , Bela Lugosi ’s voodoo sea captain character , Murder Legendre , transforms Madeleine Short ( Madge Bellamy ) into a zombi using just such a potion .

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While poorly receive , specially in contrast to the astounding success of otherBela Lugosi repugnance moviesof its metre , White Zombieset the leg for the future of the genre . Zombie movies have since taken a sharp turn forth from the voodoo - laden folklore that inspired this initial foray , and yet many attributes of this traditional knowledge and Halperin ’s take on it carry over into modern interpretations of the undead . The creature of theunderrated classicWhite Zombieacted as the genesis of the soulless , vacuous , and borderline - indestructible creatures we see in celluloid today .

9Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

The Resurrection Of The Zombie Movie Genre

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George A. Romero ’s rage classicNight of the Living Deadbreathed life into the zombie movie musical style and create the zombi criterion and trope we still see today , such as theheadshots - only zombie rulethat is construe in shows such asThe Walking Dead . It also create the classic Romero zombie : the senseless , easy - walk , cannibalistic sustenance dead . The entirety of the film takes place within an abandoned farmhouse , pave the way for next zombie picture to be go under in trammel spaces , such asTrain to Busan .

While The walk Dead has become a major reviver for zombies in the 21st century , Robert Kirkman in the beginning wanted it to connect into a Graeco-Roman movie .

Zombie from Night of the Living Dead and Walkers from The Walking Dead

dark of the Living Dead ’s surprising political ending , as well as the casting of Duane Jones as Ben at a meter when a Black lead was highly controversial , pave the way for next film about the undead to make social commentary on the living . This pioneering zombie pic grossed $ 238 thousand worldwide ( which would be worth just over $ 2 million today ) and led to multiple sequels , remaking , and reboots , many of which enjoyed alike success . The franchise is set to receive one last installment in 2025 .

8Dawn Of The Dead (1978)

The Best Zombie Movie Of All Time

Often key out as thebest zombi motion-picture show of all time , this sequel toNight of the Living Deadis just as much a cult classic as its predecessor . Romero ’s Living Dead Universe truly read off with this pic , resulting in innumerous sequels and reboots , not to advert inspiring many other plastic film within the music genre . Strangely , despite its popularity , this sequel grossed around $ 160 thousand worldwide , $ 70 thousand less than the preceding pic .

Dawn of the Deadcontinued the usage of a limit space , its irruption occurring in a shopping mall . This setting allows for geographic expedition of the more far-flung effects of the zombie Revelation ( such as mass hysteria ) and simultaneously builds upon Romero ’s social commentary from the original film , with the subsequence ’s musical theme revolving around capitalistic , consumer America . Today , even from beyond the tomb , the Maker of the hold out Dead Universe continues to work the genre : Romero ’s daughter Tina Romero is hold on her father ’s work going with her own forthcoming continuation , Queens of the Dead .

728 Days Later (2002)

Zombies, But Make Them Fast

28 24-hour interval Later is a horror picture show about the zombie apocalypse send by Danny Boyle . After Jim ( Cillian Murphy ) wakes up from a coma in a derelict hospital in London , he let out that the city is overrun by the undead , so he link up force with other survivors to try and make it out live .

Danny Boyle’s28 Days Laterwas the first post-2000 reimagining of the authoritative Romero slow - walkers as frighteningly tight - moving zombies . Although with far less achiever , Nightmare City(1980 ) was the first movie to use dissolute zombies.28 solar day Laterchallenges several figure , not the least of which is the final girl , as Cillian Murphy acts alternatively as the last male child Jim .

The long - wait repugnance sequel 28 Years by and by , which reteams director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland , summate three major stars to the cast .

An Infected Boy in 28 Days Later

Some have debated whether28 Days Lateris a zombi moviedue to the computer virus that causesthe outbreak technically kill and vivify the living , as oppose to take effect only on the stagnant . The maker of the photographic film have preferred to call their pseudo - zombi " septic , " but it is undeniable that this sorting of deviation from the traditional Romero zombie is no longer unwelcome , and essential to redefining tropes and go along the music genre alive . It seems to be effective in doing so , as the movie ’s secondsequel28 Years Lateris expected soon .

6Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

The Everyman Archetype Meets The Zombie Apocalypse

While neither the first nor last zombie spirit revulsion comedy made , Edgar Wright’sShaun of the Deadis arguably the good symmetry of comedy and repugnance ever to embellish the zombie moving picture genre . In this low - budget , cult classic comedy zombie movie , Simon Pegg and Nick Frostplay two everyday Londoners doing their best to exist a zombie outbreak .

This film gain some unexpected diversionary attack from thecommon zombie pic tropes , such as theoutbreak not being treated as the apocalypse and the lead characters being your relatable , nerdy Everyman rather than muscular military types . Although it is not thegoriest zombie movie ever made , Shaun of the Deadstill boast a undecomposed deal of stemma and guts . Additionally , while the main character ’s arc deviate from the norm in this character of film , Shaun of the Deadhas more than enough campy trope to fulfil any furor zombi pic buff .

5Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

The Resurrection Of The Best Zombie Movie Of All Time

Zack Snyder ’s 2004 reboot of Romero ’s cult classicDawn of the Deadis sure not improper for the genre as a whole , but it did serve as an interesting reimaginingof the 1978 original in several ways . The primary changes admit a viral irruption source ( as opposed to radiation from an detonate infinite probe ) , tight - moving zombies replacing the slow - walking Romero puppet of erstwhile , and the add-on of far more shock - time value gore .

Despite its box office success , the motion picture has had a mixed reception among viewers and key role player likewise , with Romero himself andShaun of the DeadactorSimon Pegg criticizing Snyder ’s remake . Dawn of the Deadgrossed $ 102 million worldwide compare to the 1978 photographic film ’s $ 160 thousand ( this would be equivalent to about $ 774 thousand today ) . On the other hired man , the remaking scored 77 % on the Tomatometer , versus the 1978 film ’s 91 % . Despite the higher gross , the consensus is made clear by this remaking ’s critical receipt : the oldie is still a goodie .

4Warm Bodies (2013)

Zombies, But Make Them Romantic

Releasing just on the heels ofThe Twilight Saga : break off Dawn Part 2,Jonathan Levine’sWarm Bodiesadded a minute of spicery to the zombie picture musical style . deepen affair up with not only a Shakespeare’sRomeo & Juliet - inspired romanticism but also sentient zombie , Levine’sWarm Bodieswas a fresh take on a Greco-Roman literary genre .

While jeopardize into the realm of teenager romance is more than enough to qualify this as an unconventional zombie movie , Warm Bodies ' unexpected endingbreaks one of the most usual automaton rule . what is more , thesource of the outbreak is left advisedly vague , with the main character being simply ineffectual to think of what induce the zombie Revelation to occur . The choice to leave this undecided to interpretation dodges the common arithmetic mean of a viral or possibly even supernatural author ; it also leaves way for a likely sequel .

3World War Z (2013)

Zombies, But Make Them Tsunamis

Based on the novel by Max Brooks , World War Z recount the story of a world lay waste to by a zombi computer virus . Former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane ( Brad Pitt ) endure the apocalypse in lookup of a remedy . He is tasked with bump the item of descent of the virus so as to synthesize a vaccine , reluctantly doing so in exchange for his mob ’s safety equipment . His search takes him around the world , where he witnesses all the ravaging of the Book of Revelation .

In plus to being the most expensive zombi motion picture ever made , World War Zachieved remarkable young heights in the reality of zombie movie exceptional event . The tsunami - similar waves make by the cache of zombies are like nothing seen before in the genre and are terrifying even a decade later . The film had a mixed response , owe to many production problems which led to a jolly clumsychange to the originalWorld War Zendingand the resultant crash of the third act .

Unlike their slow - moving and unenrgetic undead counterparts , fast zombies pose an even more pernicious menace within the horror movie writing style .

I Am Legend and 28 Days Later

Despite its response issues , World War Zcreated an interesting spin on the genre , focusing on the larger - scale , world-wide effects of the zombie Book of Revelation and a United Nations broker looking for a solution to the outbreak . The film also introduce the construct of a vaccine created to allow the living to outlast the undead . While the relatively open ending has led many to hold out hope for a remake that could redeem the original film , some finger that the metre that has passed and development issues stand for acanceledWorld War Zsequel .

2Train To Busan (2016)

The Modern-Day Contender For Best Zombie Movie Of All Time

ThisSouth Korean automaton moviegrossed even more than28 Days Later . Train to Busanwas simultaneously a game - changer for the writing style and a callback to some of the original craze classicsin the sensory faculty that the entire picture show take place inside a train . This isolation causes the witness to learn about the irruption alongside the fictitious character , creating a much more realistic experience .

Many are unaware thatTrain to Busanhas a prequel and sequelin its three - film series ; these installments be on polar opposite ends of the critical response spectrum , with the prequel being far more well - receive . As for the 2nd installment , Train to Busanis fast - paced , action at law - pack , and gut - wrenching . It grossed $ 93 million worldwide and was run across with critical acclaim .

1Cargo (2017)

The Only Zombie Movie Where The Main Character Is Bitten From The Start

Lead characters , particularly when played by stars such as Martin Freeman , are often dress in impenetrable plot armor . This is not so in the fibre - drive and emotionalzombie movieCargo . Having the principal character prick very early on in the cinema and focusing the remainder of the event on his attempts to get his baby to safe is a completely unique twist on the often trope - laden , overdone zombie movie .

Cited asone of the most naturalistic zombie movies ever made , Cargoavoids the shock - value gore that is mutual in zombie repugnance , and yet it remains a sorry , red , and heartrending film , explore themes of post - apocalyptic hopelessness and brokenheartedness . countersink in Australia , it concisely incorporates elements of Aboriginal spiritualism . These human action as a reasonably standardised plot elementto the zombi spirit from different folklore as altered byWhite Vampire , and makeCargoperhaps the first modern zombie movie to reference this extraction .

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Article image

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.

White Zombie

hoodooism

Potion

A hoard of Romero’s classic zombies reach through an elevator door in Dawn of the Dead (1978).

minute

boring

$ 50,000

Article image

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.

unsung

6.2/10 IMDb 86 % Tomatometer

United States

Headshot Of Cillian Murphy In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Night of the Living Dead

radiation syndrome from exploding space probe

N / A ; all human have been exposed

Headshot Of Kate Ashfield

Days

Unkown

$ 237,994

Headshot Of Nick Frost

7.8/10 IMDb 95 % Tomatometer

Dawn of the Dead

irradiation from exploding blank space investigation ( ? )

Headshot Of Simon Pegg

$ 159,822

7.8/10 IMDb 91 % Tomatometer

28 Days by and by

Headshot Of Lucy Davis

Bio - mastermind computer virus ( " Rage " )

Bites or cacography , contact with corporal fluids

Fast

Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley play two survivors in Dawn of the Dead (2004). Kenneth Hall (Rhames) is dressed in a police officer’s uniform and clutches his bleeding arm. Ana Clark (Polley) has blood on her tank top. Both stare off-screen. Security guards stand behind them.

$ 8 million

$ 85 million

7.5/10 IMDb 87 % Tomatometer

Headshot Of Ving Rhames

United Kingdom

Virus

bite or prick , but can also affect pregnancy if the female parent is infected

Headshot Of Mekhi Phifer

arcminute

$ 26 million

$ 102 million

Nicholas Hoult’s R Beside a Blu-ray Copy of Zombie in Warm Bodies

7.2/10 IMDb 77 % Tomatometer

Shaun of the Dead

Bites

Headshot Of Nicholas Hoult

10 - 20 minutes

$ 3.3 million

$ 32 million

Headshot Of Teresa Palmer

7.9/10 IMDb 92 % Tomatometer

Warm body

$ 35 million

Headshot Of Dave Franco

$ 117 million

6.8/10 IMDb 81 % Tomatometer

World War Z

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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.

Virus ( " Solanum " )

23 hour from time of death

$ 190 million

Headshot Of Brad Pitt In The Babylon Premiere

$ 540 million

7.0/10 IMDb 67 % Tomatometer

cultivate to Busan

Headshot Of Daniella Kertesz

Bio - mastermind virus

insect bite or scratches

Minutes to second

Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo), Su-an (Kim Su-an), and Sang-Hwa (Ma Dong-seok) walk through a train compartment door. Seok-Woo is bloody and holding a baseball bat.

$ 8.5 million

$ 93 million

7.6/10 IMDb 95 % Tomatometer

Movies

South Korea

Cargo(2017 )

48 hours

$ 56,385

6.3/10 IMDb 88 % Tomatometer

Australia

rootage : History.com