About Zombieland
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Zombieland is a horror comedy starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin. It was released in the year 2009.
Zombieland is set during a zombie apocalypse and focuses on Jesse Eisenberg’s character, Columbus, as he tries to survive the zombie apocalypse. Along the way he picks up a couple of misfits, falls in love and meets Bill Murray.
After a recent re-watch I started to think of other horror comedy movies like Zombieland. Here’s 15 of my recommendations. Let me know what you think.
15. The Dead Don’t Die (2019)
Directed and written by Jim Jarmusch, The Dead Don’t Die is an absolute bonkers zombie comedy starring Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Carol Kane, Austin Butler, Selena Gomez and Tom Waits. It was released in the year 2019.
The Dead Don’t Die follows the residents of Centerville, a small U.S. town experiencing unusual environmental disruptions after polar fracking knocks Earth off its axis. As daylight patterns shift and animals behave strangely, the dead begin rising from local cemeteries. Police officers Cliff Robertson, Ronnie Peterson, and Mindy Morrison attempt to understand the situation while various townspeople – including a hardware store owner, a diner waitress, and a reclusive hermit—witness the growing number of attacks.
Once the zombie outbreak becomes widespread, Centerville is quickly overrun. The undead gravitate toward the habits and objects they were fixated on in life, such as coffee, Wi-Fi, and consumer goods. An eccentric mortician, Zelda Winston, kills several zombies with a katana before she is taken away by a UFO. Most of the town’s residents, including the police officers, are killed in the outbreak. The film ends with Centerville effectively destroyed and the zombies continuing to wander through the town.
14. Fido (2006)
Directed by Andrew Currie, Fido is a zombie comedy starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, K’Sun Ray, Henry Czerny and Tim Blake Nelson. It was released in the year 2006.
Fido is set in an alternate 1950s-style world where zombies have been domesticated through control collars developed by a corporation called ZomCon. Families keep collared zombies as household helpers, labourers, and status symbols. The Robinson family acquires a zombie that young Timmy names Fido, and Timmy forms an emotional bond with him after discovering he is obedient and protective despite being undead.
A malfunction in Fido’s collar causes him to kill a neighbour, which leads to a small local outbreak. ZomCon security responds by attempting to seize Fido and cover up the incident. Timmy and his mother, Helen, intervene to protect him, revealing tensions within ZomCon’s leadership. Fido is eventually returned to the Robinson family, and life in the community resumes under the same controlled coexistence between humans and collared zombies.
13. Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015)
Directed by Christopher Landon, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse is a zombie comedy starring Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont and David Koechner. It was released in the year 2015.
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse follows three teenage Scouts – Ben, Carter, and Augie – whose camping trip coincides with a zombie outbreak caused by an accident at a nearby research facility. When they return to town, they discover that most residents have been turned into zombies. They join forces with Denise, a local cocktail waitress, and begin searching for Ben’s sister and other surviving students, who are trapped at a school party.
Using their scouting skills, the group constructs improvised weapons, navigates the town, and fights through multiple zombie encounters. They eventually reach the party, free the remaining students, and work together to escape before the military arrives to contain the outbreak. By the end of the film, the boys survive the incident and reconcile their strained friendship.
12. Juan of the Dead (2010)
Directed and written by Alejandro Brugués, Juan of the Dead (or, Juan de los Muertos) is a zombie comedy starring Alexis Díaz de Villegas, Eliécer Ramírez, Andros Perrugorría, Jorge Molina Enríquez, Jazz Vilá, Andrea Duro, Antonio Dechent, Blanca Rosa Blanco and Susana Pous. It was released in the year 2010.
Juan of the Dead takes place in Havana, where a wave of violent attacks begins occurring across the city. The Cuban government initially blames the incidents on political dissidents, but it soon becomes clear the attackers are zombies. Juan, a small-time hustler, survives the early chaos with his friend Lázaro. Seeing an opportunity, they start a business called “Juan of the Dead,” offering to kill infected relatives for people who cannot do it themselves. Their team includes Juan’s daughter Camila, Lázaro’s son Vladi California, and several local acquaintances.
As the outbreak spreads, government forces lose control and Havana becomes overrun. Juan’s group attempts to escape by boat, but the plan collapses after a zombie attack. Some survivors, including Camila, eventually flee the island, while Juan chooses to remain in Cuba. The film ends with him deciding to stay and fight the zombies, treating it as a duty to defend his home despite the overwhelming odds.
11. Cockneys vs Zombies (2012)
Directed by Matthias Hoene, Cockneys vs Zombies is a horror action comedy starring Harry Treadaway, Rasmus Hardiker, Michelle Ryan, Georgia King, Richard Briers, Honor Blackman and Alan Ford. It was released in 2012.
Cockneys vs Zombies begins when construction workers in East London break open a sealed 17th-century tomb and unintentionally release a zombie infection. At the same time, brothers Terry and Andy attempt a bank robbery to raise money to save their grandfather Ray’s retirement home. Their heist quickly unravels as the zombie outbreak spreads, forcing the brothers, their accomplices, and several hostages to fight their way through the streets.
At Ray’s retirement home, the residents defend themselves with improvised weapons as zombies start breaching the building. Terry and Andy reach the home and reunite with their grandfather. After a final confrontation with the zombies, the group escapes on a bus. The remaining survivors leave London together, moving away from the expanding outbreak.
10. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Directed by Edgar Wright and co-written by Wright and Simon Pegg, Shaun of the Dead is a comedy starring Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton. It was released in the year 2004.
Shaun of the Dead follows Shaun, an underachieving Londoner whose routine is disrupted when a zombie outbreak begins spreading across the city. After recognising the danger, Shaun teams up with his friend Ed and sets out to rescue his mother, stepfather, and his girlfriend Liz. The group attempts to reach the Winchester pub, which they choose as a place to shelter from the escalating crisis.
During the journey, Shaun’s stepfather and mother are killed after being infected, and the group’s numbers shrink. When they finally reach the pub, the building is eventually breached by zombies. Only Shaun and Liz survive long enough for the military to intervene and clear the area. The film ends with society adjusting to the presence of domesticated zombies and Shaun returning to a normal routine.
9. A Little Bit Zombie (2012)
Directed by Casey Walker, A Little Bit Zombie is a horror comedy which stars Kristopher Turner and was released in the year 2012.
A Little Bit Zombie follows Steve, who is on a weekend trip with his fiancée Tina and their friends when he is bitten by a mosquito that previously fed on a zombie. The bite infects him, causing a gradual transformation in which he loses normal appetites and develops a strong craving for human brains, though he remains aware, communicative, and capable of controlling his behaviour to a degree.
At the same time, a zombie hunter named Max is tracking the infection and searching for Steve. As Steve’s condition worsens, his friends try to manage the situation while Tina insists on maintaining their wedding plans. The film concludes with Max closing in on Steve, forcing the group to confront the reality of Steve’s transformation and what it means for his future.
8. Life After Beth (2014)
Directed and written by Jeff Baena, Life After Beth is a zombie comedy starring Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser, Matthew Gray Gubler, and John C. Reilly. It was released in the year 2014.
Life After Beth follows Zach, who is mourning the death of his girlfriend Beth after she dies from a snake bite. Days after her funeral, Beth mysteriously returns to life, with her parents hiding the truth until Zach discovers she is back. At first she appears mostly normal, though she has no memory of dying. As time passes, she begins to show signs of decay, erratic behaviour, and increasing aggression, indicating she is becoming a zombie.
While Beth’s condition worsens, similar reappearances of the dead begin happening across town, leading to confusion and escalating danger. Zach attempts to cope with Beth’s transformation while her parents struggle to accept what is happening. As Beth becomes fully zombified and uncontrollable, Zach is forced to end her life to prevent further harm. The film ends with Zach accepting Beth’s death and coming to terms with his grief as the outbreak fades.
7. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Directed by John McPhail, Anna and the Apocalypse is a Christmas zombie musical starring Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Ben Wiggins, Mark Benton and Paul Kaye. It was released in the year 2017.
Anna and the Apocalypse follows Anna, a high school student in the town of Little Haven, where a sudden zombie outbreak begins during the Christmas season. Anna and her friends—John, Steph, Chris, and others—discover the crisis after surviving initial attacks and decide to make their way to their school, which they believe is a safe shelter. As they move through the town, they encounter widespread destruction and defend themselves using improvised weapons.
When they reach the school, they find that the headteacher, Savage, has isolated the survivors and contributed to the chaos through poor decisions. In the attempt to escape, several of Anna’s friends are killed, including John, who sacrifices himself to protect her. Anna reunites with her father, but he becomes infected, forcing her to leave him behind. The film ends with Anna and two surviving friends escaping Little Haven by car as the town is overrun by the outbreak.
6. Planet Terror (2007)
Directed and written by Robert Rodriguez, Planet Terror is a horror comedy action film starring Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Michael Biehn, Jeff Fahey, Josh Brolin and Marley Shelton. It was released in the year 2007.
Planet Terror begins when a biochemical agent called DC2 is accidentally released during a confrontation between corrupt military personnel and a group of rogue soldiers. The gas spreads through a nearby Texas town, causing widespread infections that turn people into aggressive, mutating creatures. Amid the outbreak, Cherry Darling and her ex-boyfriend El Wray attempt to escape and reach safety while the town rapidly collapses.
Cherry, El Wray, Dr. Dakota Block, and several survivors fight their way through infected civilians and compromised military forces. Cherry loses a leg during the escape and later uses a weaponised prosthetic to defend the group. The survivors eventually uncover that the military intended to exploit the gas for their own use. The film ends with the remaining survivors relocating to Mexico, where they establish a refuge and protect civilians from ongoing threats.
5. Warm Bodies (2013)
Directed and written by Jonathan Levine, Warm Bodies is a paranormal zombie rom-com starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Lio Tipton, Cory Hardrict and John Malkovich. It was released in the year 2013.
Warm Bodies follows R, a zombie who lives among the undead in an abandoned airport. During a raid, R kills a human named Perry and then experiences Perry’s memories after consuming part of his brain. This causes R to feel emotions again and develop a protective attachment to Perry’s girlfriend, Julie. R hides Julie in the airport to keep her safe, and as they spend time together, he gradually regains human traits, suggesting that some zombies can recover.
As R changes, other zombies begin showing signs of revival as well, which draws hostility from the Boneys—fully decayed zombies who cannot be cured. Julie and R return to her walled city to prove that recovering zombies should not be killed, but the humans are initially skeptical. When the Boneys attack, humans and partially revived zombies fight together to stop them. By the end of the film, R fully regains his humanity, and the cured zombies begin reintegrating into society as the outbreak subsides.
4. Aquarium of the Dead (2021)
Directed by Glenn Miller and written by Marc Gottlieb, Aquarium of the Dead is a comedy sci-fi horror starring Vivica A. Fox, Eva Ceja, D. C. Douglas and Erica Duke. It was released in the year 2021.
Aquarium of the Dead is set at the Shining Sea Aquarium, where a batch of contaminated animal medication causes several marine animals to die and then reanimate as hostile, zombie-like creatures. Staff members arriving for work encounter reanimated octopuses, crabs, moray eels, and other sea life attacking employees and escaping their enclosures. A group of survivors, including biologist Miranda Riley, security officer Clu, and veterinarian Karen, attempts to move through the building while avoiding the infected animals.
As the outbreak spreads, the team tries to shut down the aquarium’s power systems and contain the creatures, but several employees are killed during the process. The group eventually learns that any animal exposed to the contaminated medication is affected. The remaining survivors escape the facility before it locks down, leaving the infected animals sealed inside. The film ends without confirming whether the outbreak is fully contained.
3. Office Uprising (2018)
Directed by Lin Oeding, Office Uprising is a horror comedy starring Brenton Thwaites, Jane Levy, Alan Ritchson, Zachary Levi, Karan Soni and Ian Harding. It was released in the year 2018.
Office Uprising is set inside Ammotech, a weapons manufacturing company where most employees drink a company-favourite energy beverage called “Zolt.” A contaminated batch of the drink causes workers to become extremely violent, aggressive, and unstable, though they remain alive and fully aware. Desmond, a low-level employee, avoids infection because he didn’t drink Zolt that day. As the outbreak begins, he teams up with his co-workers Sam and Mourad to navigate the building and avoid the increasingly hostile staff.
The group attempts to reach upper management in hopes of finding a safe exit, but they discover that executives – including their boss, Adam Nusbaum – are also affected. As they fight through various departments filled with armed, unstable employees, several confrontations occur before they reach an escape route. Desmond and the remaining uninfected survivors manage to flee the facility before authorities contain the situation. The outbreak remains limited to the Ammotech building by the film’s conclusion.
2. Love and Monsters (2020)
Directed by Michael Matthews and co-written by Michael Matthews and Brian Duffield, Love and Monsters is a romantic post-apocalyptic action movie starring Dylan O’Brien, Jessica Henwick, Dan Ewing and Michael Rooker. It was released in the year 2020.
Love and Monsters is set seven years after chemicals used to destroy an asteroid caused Earth’s cold-blooded animals to mutate into large, dangerous creatures. Most humans now live in underground colonies. Joel Dawson, separated from his girlfriend Aimee during the early chaos, learns she is alive in a distant coastal colony. Despite being inexperienced on the surface, he decides to travel across the monster-filled landscape to reach her, meeting a survivor duo, Clyde and Minnow, as well as a dog named Boy who helps him stay alive.
When Joel finally reaches Aimee, he discovers her colony is being targeted by a group of sailors pretending to offer evacuation. Their plan involves using a captured giant crab to force the colony to hand over supplies. Joel realises the creature is being controlled and frees it, leading to the sailors’ defeat. After exposing the threat, Joel chooses not to stay with Aimee and instead returns to the surface, encouraging other colonies to move above ground and work toward rebuilding society.
1. Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Zombieland: Double Tap is the sequel to Zombieland and stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Rosario Dawson, Zoey Deutch, Luke Wilson, Avan Jogia and Thomas Middleditch. It was released in the year 2019.
Zombieland: Double Tap follows Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock living together a decade after the zombie outbreak, now residing in the abandoned White House. Tension grows when Little Rock, wanting more independence, leaves with a pacifist drifter named Berkeley. Wichita returns for help, and the group sets out to find Little Rock while adjusting to the emergence of a stronger zombie type known as the “T-800.” Along the way, they meet new survivors, including Madison, who has been living in a mall, and Nevada, who runs a themed hotel.
The group eventually traces Little Rock to Babylon, a gun-free commune. Soon after they reunite, a massive herd of T-800 zombies approaches the settlement. With no firearms available, Tallahassee designs a defensive plan that lures the zombies into a fatal fall from a tower. The attack is stopped, Little Rock rejoins the group, and Wichita agrees to Columbus’s marriage proposal. The film ends with the survivors leaving Babylon together, reaffirming their commitment to staying united.
Have you seen any of these movies like Zombieland?
Did any of these movies remind you of Zombieland? Would you have added any other horror comedies to this list?
Let me know in the comments.
