20 Zombie Movies On HBO Max [Ranked]

 

If you're looking for a bit of horror along with a touch of gore and an overdose of the undead, then zombie movies are bound to entertain you. These movies usually contain stories revolving around the leak of a certain poisonous gas that ends up infecting people around or the dead, leading them to re-awaken and opt for human blood or the human brain.

 

If you're looking to watch some good zombie movies on HBO Max, then we've curated the ideal list for you below!

 

 

1. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

 

 

Night of the Living Dead is a horror-thriller movie featuring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, and Karl Hardman that premiered in the theatres in 1968. The film was produced by Image Ten under the direction of filmmaker George A. Romero. The movie had a budget of $114,000 with which it was able to collect $236,452 worldwide and won awards in various categories of Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, Horror Host Hall Of Fame, and Online Film & Television Association.

 

Siblings Barbra and Johnny on the way to visit their father's grave, are attacked by a horde of ghouls, who kill Johnny. Barbra manages to escape to a house, where she comes across a house where a man named Ben arrives and saves her by killing and driving away the ghouls.

 

They soon discover five other survivors seeking shelter in the cellar. As the night progresses and the ghouls increase in number, survival becomes difficult and their inability to trust in each other leads to even bigger problems.

 

 

 

2. Corpse Bride (2005)

 

 

Corpse Bride is an animation-drama movie which is directed by Tim Burton, and Mike Johnson and a cast consisting of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Emily Watson (main characters).

 

The film was released in 2005 with a run time of 1 hour 17 min. Set in Victorian England in the 1800s, this gothic tale follows the life and love of Victor Van Dort who gets betrothed to Victoria Everglot to avoid financial ruin.

 

The wedding rehearsal does not go well, prompting Victor to practice his vows. He mistakenly ends up marrying the "corpse bride" Emily while in the woods. This leaves shy Victor in a serious quandary, which gets worse when Victoria's family searches for a more suitable groom.

 

Victor soon finds himself in a matrimonial deadlock with a deadline.

 

 

 

3. Zombieland (2009)

 

 

Zombieland is one of the popular action-comedy films which is worth giving a try. This narrative of Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick stars Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Woody Harrelson in the primary role.

 

The movie has received mixed reviews from critics and a score of 7.6 from users on IMDb. After a zombie epidemic spreads across America, people are wary of each other.

 

Many have lost their families, and others aren't sure how much their families have managed to survive. Four individuals group together to reach a supposedly zombie-free zone; through the journey, they try to connect and trust each other.

 

In uncertain times, they realize the importance of having few dependable people, to fight off the common enemy.

 

 

 

4. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

 

 

The Cabin in the Woods cemented Drew Goddard as one of the best filmmakers in the year 2011. Drew Goddard's direction is so good that you will love this movie for 1 hour 35 min runtime.

 

The movie excelled at the box office and brought great fortune to the production company. It grossed around $70,038,838 worldwide. Five American college students decide to spend a weekend at a cabin in the forest.

 

They come across the cabin's cellar, where the group comes across bizarre objects that include the diary of Patience Buckner, a cabin resident who had been abused by her sadistic family.

 

One of the students, Dana reads an incantation from the diary and accidentally ends up summoning the zombified Buckner family. But, that's the least of their problems as something far more sinister is on its way; to them.

 

 

 

5. I Am Legend (2007)

 

 

Will Smith, Alice Braga, and Charlie Tahan have given stellar performances in the movie I Am Legend. Thanks to them the film was able to gather various nominations and wins that included the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, and Golden Trailer Awards.

 

The year is 2012 and a failed attempt to cure cancer with a genetically engineered measles virus has resulted in a global pandemic. 99% of the world's population has been infected and turned into vampiric mutants known as Darkseekers, who are vulnerable to sunlight and prey on the remaining uninfected humans.

 

U. S. Army virologist Robert Neville is one of the few left, living an isolated life in Manhattan and spending his days searching for survivors, experimenting on infected rats to find a cure, and broadcasting messages to any remaining uninfected humans.

 

When he meets two immune survivors, Anna and Ethan, Neville must fight off a pack of Darkseekers to protect them and himself.

 

 

 

6. This Is the End (2013)

 

 

This movie by Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen is a balanced approach of elements to keep the audience engaged while allowing enough room for the subject matter. This Is the End received mixed reviews from critics and users, and if you love comedy-fantasy movies, you can try it.

 

Jay Baruchel arrives in Los Angeles to visit fellow Canadian Seth Rogen who invites him to James Franco's housewarming party. While there, Jay and Seth go out to buy cigarettes and are blinded by blue light which ends up sucking numerous people.

 

This is followed by an earthquake and the opening up of a sinkhole in James' yard. While several celebrities and partygoers are killed and everyone around tries to make sense of what's happening, Jay believes the disaster is the Apocalypse.

 

 

 

7. Warm Bodies (2013)

 

 

Warm Bodies premiered in theatres in 2013. Directed by Jonathan Levine, this movie features Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, and John Malkovich in the lead. If you have a particular liking for comedy-horror movies, then you can try this title.

 

Warm Bodies received a score of 6.8 on IMDb and 60 on Metacritic. A zombie named R spends his days wandering around an airport. Being a zombie he doesn't have a heartbeat and is always craving human flesh, particularly brains as consuming them makes him 'feel alive' as he can experience the victim's memories when eating them.

 

When he comes across Julie Grigio, he gets drawn to her and his heart begins to beat for the first time. He kills and eat's Julie's boyfriend's brain, leading him to feel increased attraction and a sense of protection for her.

 

Meanwhile, the other zombies, are drawn to her scent and crave for her blood.

 

 

 

8. Dead Snow (2009)

 

 

Featuring Jeppe Beck Laursen, Charlotte Frogner, and Jenny Skavlan in the lead, Dead Snow is a comedy-fantasy movie that came out in 2009. Dead Snow has a talented team of crew members involving Tommy Wirkola (director), Tommy Wirkola, and Stig Frode Henriksen (screenplay), Matthew Weston (cinematography), Christian Wibe (music), Linn Henriksen (costume), and many others.

 

Dead Snow received a score of 6.3 on IMDb, while it got 61 out of 100 on Metacritic. Seven students on Easter vacation arrive at a small cabin near Øksfjord, where they drink and party.

 

A mysterious hiker approaches them and tells them the dark history of the region wherein during World War II, a team of German soldiers attempted to loot the town, but the residents staged an uprising and chased them to the mountains, where they were assumed to have frozen to their death.

 

But, turns out, they weren't dead and have now returned, as bloodthirsty zombies, looking for something specific they'd left behind years ago.

 

 

 

9. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

 

 

Helmed for the screen by filmmaker John McPhail, Anna and the Apocalypse is a comedy-horror movie released in 2017. The film has individuals like Roddy Hart, and Tommy Reilly (music), Sara Deane (cinematography), Fiona Hoyo Diaz Martinez, and Fi Morrison (costume) as part of the crew among many others.

 

Anna and the Apocalypse was able to collect $673,523 at the box office and awards, which include CinEuphoria Awards, Film Club's The Lost Weekend, and Grimmfest. Anna Shepherd intends on travelling for a year before attending university, much to her father's displeasure.

 

Meanwhile, a zombie infection also starts to spread around the same time. Anna and her friends are forced to fight the zombies and attempt to get by the well-disguised zombies while relying on each other and getting to their close ones.

 

 

 

10. Cooties (2014)

 

 

Cooties premiered in theatres in 2014. Directed by Jonathan Milott, and Cary Murnion, this movie features Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, and Alison Pill in the lead. If you have a particular liking for action-comedy movies, then you can try this title.

 

Cooties received a score of 5.7 on IMDb and 49 on Metacritic. A badly made pack of chicken nuggets contaminated with a mutant virus ends up infecting several students of a school and eventually spreads across the country.

 

As the students display violent behaviour, scratching and attacking everyone around them, a team of teachers decide to stop them, stay alive and find a cure to the menace plaguing the zombie children.

 

 

 

11. Life After Beth (2014)

 

 

Featuring Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, and John C. Reilly in the lead, Life After Beth is a comedy-fantasy movie that came out in 2014. Life After Beth has a talented team of crew members involving Jeff Baena (director), Jeff Baena (screenplay), Jay Hunter (cinematography), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (music), Negar Ali (costume), and many others.

 

Life After Beth received a score of 5.6 on IMDb, while it got 50 out of 100 on Metacritic. Zach Orfman is heartbroken at the death of his girlfriend Beth Slocum due to a snake bite, during a hike.

 

He decides to spend time with Beth's parents to help them during their grieving and as a source of comfort, confiding in them that he and Beth were having relationship problems.

 

However, when the Slocums suddenly cut all contact with him and are trying to hide something from him. Deciding to investigate, he learns that his dead girlfriend has resurrected and now has an insatiable appetite for humans!

 

 

 

12. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

 

 

Coming from Cross Creek Pictures and director Burr Steers, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an action-comedy movie released in 2016. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was able to collect $16,457,494 at the box office and got considered for awards such as Golden Trailer Awards.

 

With 19th-century England besieged by zombies, the Bennet sisters are trained in the art of weaponry and martial arts, so they can defend themselves. When the family is invited to a country dance, where zombies attack, the sisters fight them off, leading Colonel Darcy, a skilled zombie killer himself, to take a liking for Elizabeth, although he remains aloof.

 

Meanwhile, Darcy's friend Charles takes a liking for Jane but is asked by Darcy to stay away, because he believes Jane is after Charles' money, leading to a fight between him and Elizabeth who believes Darcy to be responsible for her sister's heartbreak.

 

Meanwhile, an unwelcome guest brings with him an army of the dead, hoping to use them to rule the whole country, and only Darcy and Elizabeth can stop his sinister plans.

 

 

 

13. The Last Days on Mars (2013)

 

 

Coming from British Film Institute (BFI), The Last Days on Mars is an adventure-horror movie starring Liev Schreiber, Elias Koteas, and Romola Garai. Directed by Ruairi Robinson, the movie became a box-office success as it gathered $24,084 in USA and Canada, whereas it got $187,191 worldwide from a budget of £7,000,000.

 

The Martian research base with its eight-person crew is almost nearing the completion of their research mission. Mars scientist Marko Petrović has found samples suggesting life on the planet but accidentally falls into a sinkhole when obtaining soil with the biological agent.

 

Lauren goes to the pit to retrieve his body but suddenly disappears. When Captain Brunel authorises Campbell to explore the pit, the finds a fungal organism in the fissure and before he can react, Lauren and Petrović appear, as zombies and begin attacking him and the others.

 

 

 

14. Planet 51 (2009)

 

 

Coming from TriStar Pictures and director Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, and Marcos Martínez, Planet 51 is an animation-adventure movie released in 2009. Planet 51 was able to collect $105,647,102 at the box office and got considered for awards such as Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain, Goya Awards, and José María Forqué Awards.

 

Lem is an average teen who dreams of getting his dream girl while working on his career at the local planetarium. But not for Captain Charles T. Baker, who lands on Lem's planet hoping to quickly plant a flag and return to Earth to the cheers of millions of fans.

 

However, his dreams go for a toss when upon landing on Lem's planet, he realises that they think of him as a brain-eating, zombie-creating monster, which is why they're looking to exterminate him.

 

 

 

15. Resident Evil (2002)

 

 

Resident Evil is an action-horror movie directed by Paul W. S. Anderson featuring Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, and Ryan McCluskey. Resident Evil was released in 2002 with a run time of 1 hour 40 min.

 

The film was produced with a budget of $33,000,000, and it was able to gather $40,119,709 in the United States and Canada while worldwide collection amounted to $102,984,862. Raccoon City's underground genetic research facility, The Hive, is trespassed by a thief who steals a T-virus and contaminates the facility.

 

Alice reaches The Hive to investigate the situation. However, she finds herself amid Lickers, the zombified staff that happened due to the experimentation of the T-virus. Alice tries to retrieve the anti-virus but has to fight off the Lickers and their attack as she tries to regain her lost memories and save the team members.

 

 

 

16. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)

 

 

Helmed for the screen by filmmaker Johannes Roberts, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is an action-horror movie released in 2021. The film has individuals like Mark Korven (music), Maxime Alexandre (cinematography), and Jennifer Lantz (costume) as part of the crew among many others.

 

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was able to collect $41,914,915 at the box office and awards, which include ACTRA Awards. In the 1980s, Claire and Chris were two siblings living in Raccoon City's orphanage.

 

Birkin, an employee in the Umbrella Corporation, takes Claire for experimentation, but she manages to escape. She reaches out to her brother and tells her about her discovery, leading to an investigation into the corporation.

 

As zombies and mutants infiltrate the city, the STARS officers get attacked one after another. Any attempts to save the civilians and contain the outbreak turns short.

 

 

 

17. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

 

 

Resident Evil: Apocalypse is an action-horror movie directed by Alexander Witt featuring Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, and Eric Mabius. Resident Evil: Apocalypse was released in 2004 with a run time of 1 hour 34 min.

 

The film was produced with a budget of $45,000,000, and it was able to gather $51,201,453 in the United States and Canada while worldwide collection amounted to $129,342,769. The zombies of the research facility owned by Umbrella Corporation have escaped the underground and taken over the city.

 

The officers of The Hive try to evacuate the streets and send all the residents out from a bridge, wanting to bomb the city with Nuclear power to get rid of the zombies.

 

As Alice tries to take control of the situation with the city's rescue squad and Umbrella's soldiers, the truth about the experimentation is revealed.

 

 

 

18. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)

 

 

Starring Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, and Wentworth Miller in the lead, Resident Evil: Afterlife is an action-horror movie that came out in 2010. Paul W. S. Anderson executed this film with a talented team of crew members involving Paul W. S. Anderson (screenplay), Glen MacPherson (cinematography), tomandandy (music), Denise Cronenberg, and Azalia Snail (costume), and many others. Alice is en-route to the ruins of Los Angeles with Claire, and they witness many survivors living in prison surrounded by many undead.

 

Alice meets them, including Chris, who guarantees to know the way out to safety, but they are soon attacked by infected people and have to flee. A giant axe-wielding monster, Axeman, is in their wake and beings to break down the prison gate, which brings in zombies. Alice continues to look for the remaining survivors.

 

 

 

19. Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

 

 

Coming from Constantin Film International, Resident Evil: Retribution is an action-horror movie starring Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, and Michelle Rodriguez. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the movie became a box-office success as it gathered $42,345,531 in USA and Canada, whereas it got $240,159,255 worldwide from a budget of $65,000,000.

 

Alice goes into a fight with her former ally Jill, who captures Alice. Later, Alice finds herself in an underground facility but manages to escape. She discovers a video message by Wesker, who tells her about Red Queen, Alice's arch-enemy and her plan to wipe away humanity from the world.

 

As Alice joins forces with a rescue crew, she dodges the attacks from ill-intended clones and the Lickers while the situation around her is brimming with outrage against T-virus.

 

 

 

20. Planet Terror (2007)

 

 

Starring Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodríguez, and Josh Brolin in the lead, Planet Terror is an action-comedy movie that came out in 2007. Robert Rodriguez executed this film with a talented team of crew members involving Robert Rodriguez (screenplay), Robert Rodriguez (cinematography), Robert Rodriguez (music), Nina Proctor (costume), and many others.

 

After experimental biochemical agent DC2 gets released into a remote U. S. military base in rural Texas and those exposed to the gas become, mutated into flesh-eating zombies. A team of people, including go-go dancer Cherry Darling and her mysterious ex-boyfriend El Wray and Dr Dakota, join forces to try and survive the night against the blood-thirsty zombies and also find a way to save the world from being overrun by them.