Summary
The zombie genre has evolved a lot over the years sinceNight of the Living Deadfirst created what is now considered the modern definition of a zombie. While this image has continued to evolve through a variety of fantastic movies and franchises, some of the best-known works in the entire zombie sub-genre are actually more recent comedy movies, which have been gaining in popularity over the past two decades.
Many of these are well-known and are somewhat responsible for keeping the zombie sub-genre alive while much of the genre’smodern media turns to fantastic video gamesand TV series. But others are fantastic hidden gems that deserve a second look from audiences, having only managed to gain a cult following the first time around.
Updated on February 24th, 2024, by Chris Harkin:The zombie genre isn’t disappearing anytime soon. Despite so much having already been covered and achieved in this genre, all forms of media from games to movies are still finding success, and zombie-comedy movies are no different. In 2024 and beyond, there are plans for even more films that will help define and redefine this genre again and again. As more continue to find new success by doing their own satirical takes on the genre, across a variety of countries and languages, more will find their way into the annals of the very best zombie-comedy movies of all time, and more of those will once again find their way on to this list.
15Life After Beth
IMDb Score: 5.6
A particularly strange version of many zombie tropes,Life After Bethstars Aubrey Plaza as a girl who dies after being bitten by a venomous snake, but is resurrected as a zombie and doesn’t realize she was ever dead. This hilarious idea spins into an out-of-control story about a young man attempting to move on with his life after her death, while she’s still around.
Life After Bethis a hilarious idea made into a truly enjoyable and comedic film because of the gusto with which Aubrey Plaza takes to the leading role. As Beth and other returned people begin to get more aggressive, life in the town breaks down and becomes untenable, as does Beth, in what becomes a somewhat sad but also highly amusing finale.
14Cooties
IMDb Score: 5.7
A very modern-feeling American zombie film with a strange twist,Cootiesdecided to take the “shut-in by zombies”idea of films likeDawn of the Deadand put a hilariously comedic spin on the formula. Instead of a shopping mall, the eccentric cast of characters are all teachers trapped in a school after many of their young students are turned into zombies.
Featuring the likes of Elijah Wood, Alison Pill, and Rainn Wilson,Cootiesis a brutal film, taking the bold step of killing a lot of children, which doesn’t normally go down well. This didn’t help it earn big at the box office, but it is another zombie film with comedic charm that managed to gain a cult following.
13Pride And Prejudice And Zombies
IMDb Score: 5.8
One of the wildest ideas the zombie genre has ever tackled,Pride And Prejudice And Zombiesis a completely original take on the classic Jane Austen story which adds the undead to the mix, making for a comedic and fantastically strange take on both period films and zombies.
Whether or not this was simply too silly and bizarre for some zombie fans, it cannot be denied that it was a hilarious idea which worked out quite well. With a stellar British cast including Lily James and Matt Smith, there is a certain lovable charm toPride and Prejudice and Zombiesthat can’t be denied or forgotten.
12Cockneys Vs Zombies
IMDb Score: 5.9
One of the most bizarre and outrageous pieces of zombie media ever made isCockneys vs Zombies, a British zombie comedy which features a gang of bank robbers suddenly running into a zombie outbreak that stems from the catacombs beneath London.
With scenes featuring zombies in a British retirement home, the hilarity of British humor interspersed throughout, and the completely absurdist attitude that it takes,Cockneys vs Zombiesis a treasure trove of what a zombie comedy film can be if it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
11Anna And The Apocalypse
IMDb Score: 6.0
A mixture of many genres and styles,Anna and the Apocalypsemanages to do a good job of being a zombie comedy. However, while achieving this, it decides to really stuff the film by adding in a Christmas setting, and to top it all off, it’s also a musical. For fans who’ve wanted to hear characters singing while fighting off undead creatures, this movie is a great choice.
Set in a Scottish high school, the story involves Anna and her friends trying to survive a sudden outbreak of zombies at Christmas, all while Anna considers where her future life will lead her. The hilarious out-of-the-box thinking and style helped garnerAnna and the Apocalypsea cult following, but this unique film deserves a second look by many.
IMDb Score: 6.3
One of the most unusual zombie films ever created,Dead Snowis a Norwegian film that focuses on a set of students who are caught out by a zombie attack in the mountains of Norway. The strangest part aboutDead Snowis that it capitalized on therecentCall of Dutytrend of the timeand made the zombies chasing after them into Nazis.
The idea of Nazi zombies that were trying to reclaim their gold was inspired by Norwegian tales of draugr, which haveappeared in games likeSkyrim. The black comedy tale is a hilarious one to watch, and an English dub was even released for the film due to the popularity it gained among audiences.
9Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse
One of the most modern and completely absurd takes on the zombie genre,Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypsefollows a group of teenage scouts who, along with a cocktail waitress, get caught in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. Managing to be a very fun coming-of-age film while focusing on comedic zombie actionin the age of open-world zombie games, this is well worth a watch.
Featuring a cast of ridiculous characters who subvert many stereotypes, this film treads the line between ridiculous and hilarious perfectly, ensuring that it is a lot of fun for practically anybody who wants to check it out.
8Little Monsters
Another zombie comedy film filled with children,Little Monstersfeatures Lupita N’yongo as a mild-mannered teacher who is forced to get aggressive as she protects her class on a field trip when a zombie outbreak traps them at a farm. Stuck with only a washed-up musician chaperon and a horrible children’s entertainer as backup, the teacher has to figure out how to get everyone out alive.
A series of mishaps, an adorably fun style, mixed with absolutely brutal zombie-fighting moments helpLittle Monstersreach a hilarious level. Add to that the amazing ability of the film to constantly subvert the expectations of the audience and this becomes a high-quality watch that doesn’t lose any of its charm on re-watch.
7Warm Bodies
IMDb Score: 6.8
Another zombie comedy that goes deep into genre-bending territory,Warm Bodiesmanages to become a romance film at the same time. Set eight years after a zombie apocalypse, the film focuses on R, a zombie who becomes attracted to a human, and, in a love story heavily inspired byRomeo and Juliet, they become entangled with each other despite their differences.
The hilarity and charm ofWarm Bodiesis that it manages to be a high-quality romantic comedy, which also features a great new take on the zombie genre. Unlike almost any other zombie movie,Warm Bodiesis highly rewatchable and has become a favorite for many since its initial release in 2013.
6The Return Of The Living Dead
IMDb Score: 7.1
Considered by many to be the first ever zombie comedy movie,The Return Of The Living Deadwas made in 1985 and managed to not only do a great early take on the zombie genre but also introduced some concepts to the genre that became popularized in the mainstream, such as zombies specifically wanting to eat the brains of humans.
The actual plot involves a pair of bumbling fools who accidentally unleash toxic chemicals on some corpses, causing them to reanimate and attack. They and their friends are trapped in a cemetery while the zombies attack, and many of them are transformed due to exposure to the toxins. The madcap style and low-budget feel helped to make this an instant cult classic which has inspired many other zombie comedy films in the years since its release.
