The trailer for Resident Evil: Afterlife, the sixth final instalment of the Resident Evil film series, is out now. It got us thinking, what is it about zombie movies? There have been so many, and not just in B-movie format. We also find them taking the form of major blockbusters now, for example, Brad Pitt-starrer World War Z. It’s a genre that has been critically panned over and over but stays popular with its die-hard fans. The fact is they just won’t die.

Here are five reasons why we think the zombie movie is still hanging around:

5. Video games
So obviously film adaptations of video games have had varying success. Consider the mixed responses for this year’s offerings (Warcraft, The Angry Birds Movie, Ratchet & Clank) alone. Still, the zombie video game format lends itself well to the big screen, and while the Dead Rising and House of the Dead movies didn’t do so well (particularly in the latter’s case, since the first HOTD is considered to be one of the worst movies of all time), there has also been the phenomenal success of the Resident Evil franchise. Love them or hate them, they are the highest-grossing film series to be based on video games ever. Check out the brand-new trailer for the latest here:

 

4. Comedy
Zombies and comedies go together like bread and butter. Even George A. Romero’s early works featured comic scenes. Plus it’s always nice to break up the tension of seeing someone being eaten alive. Shaun of the Dead is the most renowned and popular example here while other ‘zomedies’ in recent years have included Dead Snow, Zombieland, Warm Bodies and Life After Beth.

 

3. Thrill factor
We go to the movies to be entertained and there’s no point denying that zombie movies are terrifically thrilling. A battle for survival, the run for your life from a deadly villain, coming together to stand up to a common enemy – the genre has all the ingredients you could need for drama and suspense.

 

2. Reboots and sequels
A major reason why zombie movies won’t die is because, well, people keep making them. Day of the Dead followed Dawn of the Dead followed Night of the Living Dead. Then more Romero movies. There was the Dawn of the Dead reboot in 2004 and 28 Days Later’s sequel, 28 Weeks Later. The list goes on. There have even been references within references, for example, Cuba’s Juan of the Dead title pays homage to Sean of the Dead which pays homage to Dawn of the Dead.

 

1. Endurance
At the end of the day the movie that started it all, Night of the Living Dead, is a genuine classic. The thing about it too is that it’s not just about zombies – it’s also a commentary on 1960s American society and its capitalist, consumerist culture. It’s even been read as a critique of racism and as an allegory of the Vietnam War. While zombie films since have to varying degrees tried to have this deeper meaning, none have achieved quite the endurance of Romero’s original.