Unfairly Maligned $540M Zombie Movie Gets New Lease Of Life On Netflix Following 28 Years Later Hype

A divisive zombie movie looks to be getting a boost on Netflix in the wake of the release of 28 Years Later. Back in 2002, 28 Days Later helped to breathe new life into the largely dormant zombie movie genre. It took a new approach, not making the zombies mindless and staggering creatures of the undead, but rather rage-filled killers who moved quickly like rabid animals. Its success was a reminder that the zombie movie genre still had a lot of potential. The zombie genre continued on with notable entries over the years, with 28 Years Later being the latest.

Just as with 28 Days Later, the long-awaited sequel seems to be reenergizing interest in zombie movies. 28 Years Later‘s rave reviews have suggested it is a return to form for the genre, which may lead to another resurgence. In fact, the excitement over 28 Years Later‘s release looks to be having an impact on previously released zombie movies that are getting a second chance on streaming and finding more popularity than they had in theaters.

The Divisive Zombie Movie World War Z Is A Hit On Netflix

World War Z Has Entered Netflix’s Global Top 10

World War Z has become a hit on Netflix more than a decade after it was heavily criticized upon its release. Inspired by the novel by Max Brooks, World War Z stars Brad Pitt as a family man and former United Nations worker who, amid a zombie plague sweeping across the globe, is tasked by the military to seek out the cause of this virus and a way to cure it. Though touted as a zombie blockbuster, the reception to World War Z was mixed, scoring 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning $500 million on a $200 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).

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World War Z’s various reshoots and production issues added to its messy feel. There are also a lot of fans who were disappointed by the PG-13 rating, which is unusual for a zombie movie, and its lack of connection to the popular source material. However, it seems that audiences are more willing to accept World War Z all these years later, as the movie has entered Netflix’s global top 10 this week, topping the likes of Timothee Chalamet’s Wonka and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.

Rank	Movie	Release Year	Rotten Tomatoes Score
1	Straw	2025	50%
2	Titan: The Oceangate Submersible Disaster	2025	73%
3	Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy	2025	N/A
4	Plane	2023	79%
5	Bee Movie	2007	49%
6	Get Hard	2015	28%
7	World War Z	2013	67%
8	The Super Mario Bros Movie	2023	59%
9	Wonka	2023	82%
10	Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning	2023	96%

What The Streaming Success Means For World War Z

The Big-Budget Take On Zombie Movies Deserves Another Look

While World War Z was not a flop when it was released, the lukewarm response to it was certainly disappointing. It was pushed as a big-budget and mainstream take on the zombie genre, but it failed to gain the kind of popularity that made that a viable option to explore in the future. Indeed, the World War Z sequel has been long rumored, but it cannot seem to get off the ground thanks to the messiness associated with the original movie.

With the PG-13 rating and the big budget, World War Z was an easy target for critics, especially those fans of the zombie genre.

After more than a decade, World War Z‘s streaming success is unlikely to boost the odds of a World War Z franchise. However, it is nice to see the movie get a little more love after it was unfairly pushed aside for so long. With the PG-13 rating and the big budget, World War Z was an easy target for critics, especially those fans of the zombie genre. However, looking back on the movie, it is fun to see a zombie movie on this scale, an expansive globe-trotting story compared to the much more isolated stories typical in the genre.

Our Take On World War Z’s Streaming Success On Netflix

This Could Lead To More World War Z

World War Z is not a perfect zombie movie, and it does squander some fantastic source material, but taken for what it is, there is a lot of fun to be had. Especially in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, impacting people all around the world, it is powerful to see a zombie movie deal with the global consequences of such an event. While World War Z 2 is likely dead, the new interest in this property could lead to a proper adaptation of Max Brooks’ novel.

stills from We Bury the Dead, TWD Dead City, and Marvel Zombies

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The novel for World War Z similarly looks at the global impact of a zombie outbreak, but it does so in the framework of an oral history with various people from around the world sharing their experiences. The audience gets a glimpse at the beginning of the outbreak, the fight against the zombies, and the gradual victory of humanity. Certainly, it would have been a difficult novel to adapt into a single movie, but fans have always suggested a miniseries would be ideal. World War Z‘s newfound popularity could lead to that becoming a reality someday.

Source: Netflix