Ever since George Romero let his mall-trapped characters have a pie fight in Dawn of the Dead, the king deemed that, yes, zombies can also be funny. After the subgenre's renaissance in the early 2000s, zombies were everywhere again. They could run now, literally and figuratively. They dominated the highest-rated scripted show on television with The Walking Dead, and continuing from their thematic roots, they showed us a creepy metaphorical reflection of ourselves. As a mirror to society, these creatures were gormless, shambling, and vicious.
Updated January 21st, 2023: Curious about zombie comedies? You'll be pleased to know we've updated this article with new entries.
The best movies on this list (and hoo-boy, are some of these classics) are about the human element, with the zombies providing a mere setting. Zombies don't die, and like their gothic cousins the vampire and the werewolf, they will resurrect again and again in culture to be presented as a metaphor for human life — and death. For decades, the horror and comedy genres have used these zombies to bring out the best of both. Here are the 13 major zombie comedies, or zom-coms, ranked. (As usual, Deadites and rat-plague infections do not count.)
13 The Dead Don't Die (2019)
Undoubtedly the worst movie on this list, considering its awesome cast and great director. The Dead Don't Die is a janky mess, with a third act that feels like it was completely given up on. Its characters talk with a knowing and wry tone which annoys and insults the genre as a whole. Julian Roman simply called it "yawn-inducing." This is neither 'indie,' nor big-budget, but attempts to convince you of both, whereas it's actually really just douchey.
12 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
It is Jane Austen’s classic tale, but with zombies. Lily James plays Elizabeth Bennet, who learned martial arts to protect herself from a growing population of zombies in early 19th-century England. Mr. Darcy (played by Sam Riley) is a skilled zombie killer too. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies should have been a hilarious mash-up of genres, but like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Burr Steers’s comedy failed to meet expectations.
11 Black Sheep (2006)
Certainly not the average zombie movie, as it's, uh, sheep, but we're counting it here. Despite some fantastic puppetry and practical effects (check out the fête scene in particular), Black Sheep unfortunately isn't that impressive, with really rough acting and a story that never pushes itself to be more than B-movie. This is certainly a labor of love for the sub-genre, but it's just not great and suffers from being created off the back of Peter Jackson's early schlock work in the genre.
10 Warm Bodies (2013)
Undoubtedly greenlit off of the success of the Twilight series, Warm Bodies is a melodramatic zombie picture (a rom-zom-com?) that centers its main character as the zombie, who falls for a human girl. Warm Bodies' problem is twofold: both its undead, and living characters have no space to be likable. Genuinely great character actors like Nicholas Hoult, John Malkovich, and Rob Corddry are unable to do anything with their performances as lifeless zombies, and the human characters come off as wooden and uninteresting in turn. Good soundtrack though at least.
9 Life After Beth (2014)
Definitely the only movie on this list that is essentially about necrophilia, Life After Beth stars human shop mannequin Dane DeHaan, and a terrifically rabid Aubrey Plaza. This is an early effort from indie darling, A24, which aptly felt like it struggled with teething problems. Tone is the biggest issue here, as Life After Beth feels like it came up with its superb title first, but then couldn't decide whether it was a comedy or something much darker. Watch out for a one-scene cameo from pre-fame Rob Delaney as a news reporter toward the very end.
8 Cockneys Vs Zombies (2012)
A low-budget effort from writer, James Moran (Severance), Cockneys Vs Zombies is an appropriately very English movie that pitches the perfect storm of heavily-armed criminals embroiled in a heist, during the end of the world (Zack Snyder should take note of this for his Army of the Dead project). The best part of this is seeing some great British actors take up heavy artillery and blow sh*t up. It's silly throughout, but if one looks past the very basic title they'll find a fun little gem.
7 Cooties (2014)
Playing with some of the darker corners of genre quirks (essentially asking what if Who Can Kill a Child? was a comedy), Cooties shows Elijah Wood in a non-Frodo role (also see, Maniac), alongside Rainn Wilson and Allison Pill. Cooties should have had more laugh-out-loud moments, but its direction, sense of action, and ensemble cast really keep the whole thing very exciting.
6 One Cut Of The Dead (2017)
In this wildly entertaining flick from Japan, chaos ensues as real zombies attack the cast and crew of a low-budget zombie film called True Fear. Made with $25,000, One Cut of the Dead earned over a thousand times its budget and grossed $27 million worldwide. Also, this brainy and bloody hit holds a rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 95 reviews. Like comedies and zombies? Grab some popcorn and enjoy One Cut of the Dead.
5 Little Monsters (2019)
Though it may begin slowly, once Little Monsters gets going it is an absolute treat. Lupita Nyong'o (Us) is entirely believable and perfectly cast as everyone's favorite teacher, who has to navigate a group of children and a man-child chaperone out of a dangerously unfortunate school trip. Josh Gad also shines as a Wiggles-type entertainer who is seriously debauched, and also entirely disenchanted by the thought of his own demise. Little Monsters is so wildly likable that it's an utter delight not easily shaken off.
4 The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
With some genuinely fantastic gooey practical effects, and some serious scares toward the end, if you can appreciate The Return of the Living Dead for what it is (a dumb 80s horror-comedy) then you'll have a blast. An unofficial sequel to Romero's Dead series, ROTLD is surprisingly ahead of the curve in setting up some of the tropes that zombie movies require today, alongside showcasing one of the genre's favorite antagonists in the "Tarman." These zombies are bright too; they can run, and first showed us a craving for human BRAINNSSS. The punk-rock ridiculousness of it all is hilarious.
3 Dead Snow (2009)
Definitely the most schlocky film on this list, Dead Snow asks 12-year-old boys everywhere, "What if Nazi zombies were real?" Taking on the horror trope of the dumb teens and a cabin in the woods, Dead Snow is only funny to an extent, instead opting for comically excessive gore as the backdrop for this surprisingly intense, exciting film with great effects. Expect chainsaws and whole buckets of blood in this totally out-there video nasty. As the only foreign language film on this list, do yourself a favor and check it out if you haven't already.
2 Zombieland (2009)
Zombies went prime time in this Hollywood hit. Zombieland has a cocksure energy that relates with its audience in asking where and how exactly they plan to spend the zombie apocalypse. With a fantastic cast, sharp script, and such a huge scope, Zombieland is a confident and wildly popcorn-friendly modern classic. After a failed TV show, its sequel was more of the same but arrived far too late to make any real waves.
1 Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead was a seminal British comedy that every British comedy and/or horror film would be judged against afterwards. It may seem like an obvious choice, but anyone who watches it again probably agrees; there was just no way that this wasn't going to be on top spot, considering that even the term "Zom-Com" was coined after this movie's inception.
Following the wham-bam punch of 28 Days Later and Shaun's global success, zombies really were alive again. Every single line is quotable, and Edgar Wright's iconic characters are directed as an homage, rather than mere parody. What sets this film apart so much is its deft balance between its horror and its comedy, both judged excellently, and the entirely believable character dynamics, fueled by extraordinary acting. It's undoubtedly the best zom-com to date.