Top 10 Zombie Comedy Movies

“Cooties” is certainly an original movie. It’s about a group of elementary school teachers and staff members, played by Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, and Jack McBrayer – among others – as they fight their way through a cooties-infected school. Cooties, in this case, are very real, and they turn the kids into bloodthirsty savages. The concept of adults fighting and killing children may be a little too difficult for some to handle, and the violence at hand may be a little too stomach-churning for some, but the movie’s unique premise, funny social commentary, and star-studded cast makes it an enjoyable watch. Just don’t expect high art.

#9: “Boy Eats Girl” (2005)

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“Boy Eats Girl” is a little-known Irish rom-zom-com about a lovestruck boy who comes back from the dead to find himself very, very hungry. While the movie is a bit low-budget, it makes for quick and enjoyable viewing in its brief eighty-minute run-time. The movie is filled with gore, which is sure to please any serious zombie fan, and it contains a relatable story about teenage love and infatuation. It may be a little derivative of the zombie comedies that came before it, but “Boy Eats Girl” is still a very funny and gory movie that fans of the genre should check out.

The British sure know how to make a killer zombie comedy. “Cockneys vs Zombies” is a hilarious movie about a group of cockney kids who traverse zombie-filled London to rescue a group of elderly retirees from their retirement home. The flick is filled with cartoonish gore, and it is a brilliant mix of social commentary and ridiculous situations, such as the retirees mowing down zombies with machine guns while dropping loads of f-bombs. It basically plays as a ninety-minute long sketch, but there’s nothing wrong with that when the sketch is so much fun in the first place.

“Juan of the Dead” is a Spanish-Cuban comedy about Juan, a lazy 40-year-old man who finds himself in the midst of a violent outbreak. Realizing that he can take advantage of the situation, Juan starts a zombie-killing business, killing loved ones for a fee. “Juan of the Dead” undoubtedly works as a silly zombie comedy, but it’s even better as a satire of Cuban politics. Juan and his friends believe that the zombies are capitalist dissidents, and the movie milks much of its humor from this satirical concept. Regardless of how you want to read it, the movie is absolutely hilarious.

Seemingly borrowing its premise from a joke in “Shaun of the Dead”, this Canadian gem's 1950s’ world sees zombies serving in menial jobs like delivering papers, helping children cross the street, and mowing lawns. Some people even keep the dark-skinned zombies as help around the house, and the movie isn’t shy about pointing out its obvious allegory. However, it doesn’t bash us over the head with its message. Instead, the movie is more interested in squeezing the most humor it can from its silly premise while providing enough blood to satiate the gore-hounds. “Fido” has something for everyone.

#5: “The Return of the Living Dead” (1985)

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Like most zombie movies, “The Return of the Living Dead” centers around a group of humans trying to survive a zombie outbreak. However, unlike most zombie movies, they also have to figure out how in the hell zombies work, as zombie lore has seemingly lied to them. The movie makes the most of its self-referential humor, including a scene where characters discuss the rules of zombies and start freaking out when a specific one isn’t properly responding to the rules. The movie contains some of the most memorable scenes in the genre, and it’s just as funny and relevant today as it was in 1985.

This is one of the most original movies in the zombie comedy genre. “Warm Bodies” tells the story of a zombie who befriends and falls in love with a human whose father is the leader of the human resistance. While the movie contains your typical social commentary, it also tells its story through the point of view of a humanized zombie. Also unlike most zombie comedies, the movie isn’t so much about the zombies themselves as it is a romantic story about young love and its limiting boundaries. It’s equal parts cute and hilarious, and it makes for a great time at the movies.

Just remember, this is from the man who would eventually give us “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy! “Braindead” was one of Peter Jackson’s first movies, and it tells the story of a woman who infects a small town after being bitten by a rabid rat-monkey. “Braindead” is undoubtedly one of the most well-known gore movies of all time, as many of its scenes, including the famous lawnmower bloodbath, have become iconic staples of the schlocky B-movie genre. It is gross and extremely tasteless, but its sheer carefree attitude, ridiculous story, and buckets of blood and guts make “Braindead” a classic of the genre.

#2: “Zombieland” (2009)

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You’d be hard-pressed to find a more fun zombie comedy. “Zombieland” stars an A-list cast as a group of characters that must resolve their many, many differences, band together, and survive in a post-apocalyptic zombie world – and maybe find a Twinkie along the way. “Zombieland” doesn’t really do anything new with the genre, but its sheer sense of goofy fun, its referential take on the zombie genre, and its stellar cast make it a classic. The Bill Murray scene alone places “Zombieland” in the pantheon of the all-time great zombie comedies. It’s ridiculous, and it’s also a ton of fun.

#1: “Shaun of the Dead” (2004)

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When it comes to zombie comedies, there’s simply no competing with “Shaun of the Dead.” Edgar Wright’s major studio debut, “Shaun” is filled with Wright's signature layered dialogue, frantic editing, call-backs, and foreshadowing. It’s not only extremely well-directed, written, and acted, but it also contains some brilliant social commentary on British society. As a bonus, it also uses the zombies as a platform to tell a story about growing up, shouldering responsibilities, and refusing to shamble through life like a zombie. There’s more to life than stumbling your way to the pub every night, and “Shaun of the Dead” wants you to know it.