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Dawn of the Dead poster

Movies that feel likeDawn of the Dead (1978)

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

If you loved Dawn of the Dead, the closest films we have are Dawn of the Dead (2004), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and Phantasm (1979). All three share Dawn of the Dead's dread and unsettling feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991).

πŸ… 92% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 7.8 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. George A. Romerodreadunsettlingcerebraldarkly funny
9 of 12 streaming nowHBO Max Β· Amazon Prime Video Β· Hulu

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See it on the Mood Map

If Dawn of the Dead hit the spot, these will too

Looking for the series itself? Also in this series: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Dawn of the Dead poster
Dawn of the Dead
2004 Β· dir. Zack Snyder
πŸ… 77%β˜… 7.2horror Β· science fiction Β· actionStarz

Both are working the same pair: bite, dark comedy

The difference: Sits closer to action than Dawn of the Dead does

A group of survivors take refuge in a shopping mall after the world is taken over by aggressive, flesh-eating zombies.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers poster
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
1978 Β· dir. Philip Kaufman
πŸ… 93%β˜… 7.4science fiction Β· horror

Both land dread and unease at once

The difference: Easier on the dark humor than Dawn of the Dead

The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.

Phantasm poster
Phantasm
1979 Β· dir. Don Coscarelli
πŸ… 72%β˜… 6.6horror Β· science fictionPrime Video

Horror with a pulse of ideas, in both cases

A teenage boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber, known only as the Tall Man, who employs a lethal arsenal of unearthly weapons.

Scanners poster
Scanners
1981 Β· dir. David Cronenberg
πŸ… 69%β˜… 6.7science fiction Β· horrorMax

Both lean on dread more than on science fiction

A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called 'scanning' to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non-Scanners.

The Substance poster
The Substance
2024 Β· dir. Coralie Fargeat
πŸ… 89%β˜… 7.2horror Β· science fictionHulu

Both are built on the same subject: dark comedy

The difference: Made in the 2020s, in a different era of the craft

A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

The Return of the Living Dead poster
The Return of the Living Dead
1985 Β· dir. Dan O'Bannon
πŸ… 71%β˜… 7.3comedy Β· horror Β· science fiction

The same preoccupation in both: halloween

The difference: Leans harder into comedy than Dawn of the Dead does

Two employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a toxic gas from a misplaced top-secret U.S. Army shipment, causing the dead to rise from a nearby cemetery with an insatiable hunger for human brains.

Phase IV poster
Phase IV
1974 Β· dir. Saul Bass
πŸ… 50%β˜… 6.4horror Β· science fiction

Unsettling horror in both cases

The difference: The critics' underdog of the pair

Arizona ants mock the food chain on their way to a desert lab to get two scientists and a woman.

The Fly poster
The Fly
1986 Β· dir. David Cronenberg
πŸ… 82%β˜… 7.6horror Β· science fictionHuluPeacock

Common ground: halloween

When brilliant, eccentric scientist Seth Brundle makes a huge technological breakthrough in teleportation, he decides to test it on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a common housefly manages to get inside the device and the two become one.

Eraserhead poster
Eraserhead
1977 Β· dir. David Lynch
πŸ… 87%β˜… 7.2horror Β· science fictionMax

Science fiction built on ideas, twice over

First-time father Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky poster
Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
1991 Β· dir. Lam Ngai Kai
πŸ… 89%β˜… 7action Β· science fiction Β· horror

One thread runs through both: gore

In 2001, where all correctional facilities have been privatized, martial artist Ricky finds himself victim to the corrupt system, found "guilty" of the manslaughter of an infamous crime boss.

Bride of Frankenstein poster
Bride of Frankenstein
1935 Β· dir. James Whale
πŸ… 98%β˜… 7.8horror Β· science fictionPrime VideoPeacock

Dread-soaked horror, and it commits to that

After recovering from injuries sustained in the mob attack upon himself and his creation, Dr. Henry Frankenstein falls under control of his former mentor, Dr. Pretorius, who insists the now-chastened doctor resume his experiments in creating new life. Meanwhile, the Monster remains on the run from those who wish to destroy him.

Seconds poster
Seconds
1966 Β· dir. John Frankenheimer
πŸ… 79%β˜… 7.6science fiction Β· thriller Β· horror

Both lean on unease more than on science fiction

An unhappy middle-aged banker agrees to a procedure that will fake his death and give him a completely new look and identity; one that comes with its own price.

In the mood for more dread?

all dread movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Dawn of the Dead’s defining feeling.