If You Love Train To Busan, There Are 10 Other Zombie Movies You Need To Stream

Train to Busan was truly one of the greatest zombie movies ever made, leaving viewers eager for more of something similar. As a South Korean story of not just survival but also parenting, selflessness, and sacrifice, director Yeon Sang-ho managed to create a thoughtful story that was as profound as it was action-packed. While there are plenty more great South Korean zombie movies to check out, there are plenty more fast-moving zombie releases from around the world that echo the appeal of this modern horror classic.

From subsequent releases within the Train to Busan franchise to entirely unconnected Hollywood zombie movies, there’s a whole world of cinema to explore for viewers looking to reexperience the appeal of this South Korean horror. Whether it was the more emotional side of its story or the intensity of hordes of undead threats that you connected with, Train to Busan was just the tip of the iceberg in the zombie genre, and, although it was one of the best, many other releases scratch that same itch.

10

The Girl With All The Gifts (2016)

Available On: Prime Video

A collage made of three images from The Girl With All The Gifts - created by Tom Russell

The Girl with All the Gifts was an incredible zombie movie that maintained the gritty feel and emotional resonance of Train to Busan. As one of the best British horror movies in living memory, there were also aspects of 28 Days Later and The Last of Us within this tense vaccine survival story. Set in the near future, where society has been ravaged by a parasitic fungus, the last hope for humanity is a small group of infected children who are the only ones not to transform into zombified “hungries.”

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The Girl With All the Gifts

R

Horror

Action

Adventure Drama

Release Date

January 26, 2017

Runtime

111 Minutes

Cast

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    Sennia Nanua

  • Headshot Of Fisayo Akinade

    Fisayo Akinade

  • Headhsot Of Dominique Tipper

    Dominique Tipper

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    Paddy Considine

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Like so many other movies in this genre, this is a zombie film that is not really about zombies and instead spreads a message of acceptance and understanding. With a scientist, teacher, and young girl embarking on a journey of survival, The Girl with All the Gifts asks tough questions about the infected girl’s right to live despite societal fears around her potentially deadly nature. With a great premise and some unpredictable twists and turns, The Girl with All the Gifts packs a real emotional punch.

9

#Alive (2020)

Available On: Netflix

A man on a walkie-talkie in #Alive

While Train to Busan told of the death-defying journey taken by passengers traversing from Seoul to Busan, the South Korean movie Alive was a much more confined affair. Telling the story of a video game streamer trapped in an apartment following a zombie outbreak, Alive traded intense train sequences for a man’s quest to find unique ways to keep the infected out of his home. With an emotional and character-driven story, amid all the chaos of a society in freefall, was a sense of humanity as Oh Joon-woo found a connection with Kim Yoo-bin in their bid for survival.

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#Alive

TV-MA

Horror

Action

Drama

10/10

Release Date

September 8, 2020

Runtime

98 Minutes

Cast

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    Yoo Ah-in

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Park Shin-Hye

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As an exploration of loneliness, desperation, and the will to survive, Alive was grounded in a modern, urban South Korean setting and leaned heavily into themes of isolation in the digital age. While Oh Joon-woo’s social life revolved around gaming online, Alive highlighted how, in a zombie apocalypse, it was only his neighbor he could rely on. Released in early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, Alive felt particularly relevant when it was released on Netflix back in 2020.

8

Maggie (2015)

Available On: MAX

Arnold Schwarzenegger hugging Abigail Breslin in a still from Maggie

While Arnold Schwarzenegger almost always plays an unstoppable action hero, he traded this iconic persona for a more grounded take on zombie stories with Maggie. This touching tale saw Schwarzenegger play Wade Vogel, a man struggling to come to terms with the infection of his daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin), a young girl who has been bitten and will soon turn into a cannibalistic zombie. As an emotional film dealing with the psychological hardships of being a father, Maggie mimicked many of the same themes and concerns seen in Train to Busan.

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Maggie

pg-13

Horror

Thriller

Release Date

May 8, 2015

Runtime

95minutes

Cast

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    Joss Ackland

    Norman

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Joan Hickson

    Maggie’s Mother

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    Scott Forbes

    Mack

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    Jonathan Cecil

    Christopher

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Maggie depicted a realistic and heartbreaking version of society overtaken by a zombie pandemic, and rather than seek revenge and go on a killing spree against hordes of zombies, Wade simply wanted to do everything he could to ensure his daughter did not suffer. With a surprisingly poignant turn from Schwarzenegger, Maggie was more a story about the need for mercy and the power of a parent’s love than the over-the-top, rock-em-sock-em style its lead actor was known for.

7

Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

Available On: Prime Video

Zombies running through the desolate streets of Milwaukee in Dawn of the Dead (2004). 

While director George A. Romero practically invented the modern zombie movie with his undisputed classic Night of the Living Dead, his sequel, Dawn of the Dead, has arguably had an even bigger influence over the genre. Featuring survivors of the zombie apocalypse attempting to take refuge in a shopping mall, the arrival of hordes of undead zombies led to them barricading themselves inside as they were overtaken by mass hysteria and panic. While the original 1978 movie was a classic, Zack Snyder’s 2004 version expanded upon its premise and created its own zombie universe in the process.

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Dawn of the Dead

R

Action

Horror

ScreenRant logo

7/10

10/10

Release Date

March 19, 2004

Runtime

100 minutes

Cast

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    Sarah Polley

  • Headshot Of Ving Rhames

    Ving Rhames

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With a shift toward fast-moving zombies over the slow-shambling ghouls seen in Romero’s world, this remake of Dawn of the Dead captured the same frantic and heart-racing terror as Train to Busan. This version leans even more heavily into action and gore, and although the underlying themes around capitalism and consumerism still stand, Snyder’s version was less concerned with social commentary.

6

World War Z (2013)

Available On: Paramount+

Brad Pitt in WorldWar Z Looking at a Zombie

While the terrifying consequences of a zombie outbreak are explored in practically every movie dealing with rising hordes of undead, there are a select few that truly capture the heart-racing intensity of this experience with the same level of fright as Train to Busan. Among this select few was World War Z, a movie whose depiction of massive swaths of zombies highlighted just how overwhelming this kind of catastrophic pandemic would be.

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World War Z

PG-13

Horror

Adventure

Action

ScreenRant logo

6/10

7.5/10

Release Date

June 21, 2013

Runtime

1h 56m

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Brad Pitt In The Babylon Premiere

    Brad Pitt

  • Headshot Of Daniella Kertesz

    Daniella Kertesz

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World War Z starred Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator traveling the world to try and find a solution for the zombie apocalypse. While most zombie movies tell their stories on a much smaller scale and focus on individuals trying to fend for themselves and their family under terrifying circumstances, part of the appeal of World War Z was it looked at things from a global perspective.

5

It Comes At Night (2017)

Available On: Cinemax (Via Hulu)

An infected man screaming in It Comes at Night

It Comes at Night was an incredible horror movie from A24 that suffered from misleading marketing, resulting in a massive disparity between its critics and audience’s scores on Rotten Tomatoes. With an 88% critics score and a 44% audience response, It Comes at Night was made to look like a terrifying monster movie, although it was actually a thoughtful exploration of paranoia and fear built around slow-building tension and an unnerving atmosphere. While not as action-packed as Train to Busan, It Comes at Night mirrored the South Korean classic’s themes of fear and loss.

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It Comes at Night

R

Thriller

Horror

4.5/10

Release Date

June 9, 2017

Runtime

97minutes

Cast

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  • headshot Of Kelvin Harrison Jr.

    Kelvin Harrison Jr.

  • Headshot Of Joel Edgerton In The Amazon MGM Studios Los Angeles Premiere Of 'The Boys In The Boat'

    Joel Edgerton

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From writer and director Trey Edward Shults, It Comes at Night was not a typical zombie movie and toyed with audiences’ perception of warnings signalling imminent danger. As a movie that keeps viewers guessing throughout, Joel Edgerton gave a compelling performance as a man living in a world ravaged by an infectious disease. While It Comes at Night may have divided critics and viewers, those who connect with this a-typical zombie movie will find a lot to love about it.

4

28 Days Later (2002)

Available On: Hulu

Final boy Jim (Cillian Murphy) in front of the London skyline in 28 Days Later (2002).

28 Days Later was perhaps the most important zombie movie of the 21st century, as it helped reinvigorate the genre and remind audiences just how scary this undead plight could be. The impact of 28 Days Later served to recontextualize zombies as genuine threats and helped undo decades of lighthearted, humorous depictions that blended horror with comedy. The appeal of this movie had ripple effects that have continued right up to this day and certainly influenced other fast-moving zombie releases like Train to Busan.

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28 Days Later

R

Drama

Horror

Sci-Fi

ScreenRant logo

8/10

15

8.3/10

Release Date

June 27, 2003

Runtime

113 minutes

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Megan Burns

  • Headshot Of Cillian Murphy In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

    Cillian Murphy

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With Cillian Murphy as Jim, a bicycle courier who was previously in a coma, 28 Days Later began with uncertainty as the audience was also in the dark about what had ravaged society. As Jim walked through an abandoned London, it was impossible not to be overwhelmed by its eerie depictions of desolate streets and abandoned stores. When the infected humans finally appeared as agile, relentless, and aggressive threats, it was clear that 28 Days Later would go down in history as one of the best zombie movies ever made.

3

Peninsula (2020)

Available On: Shudder

Cruel survivors in Train to Busan Presents_ Peninsula

The Train to Busan franchise expanded with the release of Peninsula, a standalone sequel that opened the door to many more stories being told within this world. As a blend of action, heist, and zombie movie tropes, Peninsula maintained the fast-paced excitement of the original movie while telling a new story about a former soldier attempting to retrieve a truck full of money. However, following the zombie outbreak seen in Train to Busan, this vehicle was inhabited by zombies, rogue militia, and a family struggling for survival.

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Peninsula

Not Rated

Horror

Action

Thriller

Release Date

August 7, 2020

Runtime

116 Minutes

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Gang Dong-won

    Jung Seok

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Koo Kyo-hwan

    Captain Seo

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Moon Woo-jin

    Jung Seok’s nephew

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Lee Jung-hyun

    Min Jung

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Peninsula was a fast-paced and stylish movie that admittedly lacked the emotional depth of its predecessor and sadly traded nuance for generic action movie tropes. While it’s true that Peninsula failed to live up to the lofty expectations of the first movie, it’s a testament to this franchise’s quality that it was still one of the best South Korean zombie movies out there. Those looking for something similar to Train to Busan will find a lot to love about Peninsula.

2

The Wailing (2016)

Available On: Peacock

Shaman protecting girl through an exorcism in The Wailing.

Director Na Hong-jin’s incredible horror thriller The Wailing was informed by far more than just zombie movie influences, as it conjured the terror of some of the most horrific movies ever made. Telling the story of a series of supernatural occurrences plaguing a small fishing town, The Wailing was equally informed by dark thrillers like Se7en as it was by captivating zombie films that influenced Train to Busan. As a genre-bending exploration of a mysterious illness and man’s quest to save his daughter, The Wailing was one of the greatest South Korean horrors of recent years.

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The Wailing

8.5/10

Release Date

June 3, 2016

Runtime

2h 36m

Director

Na Hong-jin

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jun Kunimura

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Hwang Jung-min

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With local police officer Jong-goo (Do-wan Kwak) attempting to solve the mystery of a viral illness, The Wailing was a cleverly constructed mystery that more than justified its 156-minute runtime. Through a mix of South Korean cultural influences and the classic tropes of zombie cinema, The Wailing amounted to something new and fascinating. With over 30 awards to its name, The Wailing gained accolades from the likes of the Blue Dragon Film Awards, the Fantasia International Film Festival, and the Asian Film Awards.

1

Seoul Station (2016)

Available On: Prime Video

People in the police department during the apocalypse in Seoul Station

Seoul Station was the second installment in the Train to Busan franchise and was actually an animated prequel to the original movie. As an exploration of how the zombie epidemic began in the first place, Yeon Sang-ho delivered a layered and fascinating insight into the franchise’s lore that did not shy away from societal issues like prostitution and homelessness. By pairing social critique with the tenets of zombie movies, Seoul Station carried on the spirit of George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead series and applied it to issues affecting South Koreans.

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Seoul Station

Horror

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Thriller

Animation

Release Date

August 17, 2016

Runtime

92 Minutes

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Ryu Seung-ryong

    Suk-gyu

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Shim Eun-kyung

    Hye-sun

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Lee Joon

    Ki-woong

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Kim Jae-rok

    Mr. Lee

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With beautiful animation that was no less frightening than its live-action counterpart, Seoul Station was a fantastic addition to this franchise that’s a must-watch release for anyone looking for a film to complement Train to Busan. With Yeon’s first two feature films, The King of Pigs and The Fake, both being animated releases, it’s clear this filmmaker was more than comfortable in the sphere of animation. As a powerful and underseen prequel, Seoul Station deserves a much larger audience from zombie movie fans.

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Train to Busan

t

Horror

Action

19

9.7/10

Release Date

July 1, 2016

Runtime

118minutes

Director

Yeon Sang-ho

Writers

Yeon Sang-ho

Sequel(s)

Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Gong Yoo

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Su-an, Ahn So-hee, Choi Woo-shik, and Kim Eui-sung, the 2016 South Korean zombie movie Train To Busan revolves around a father’s quest to protect his daughter aboard a high-speed train filled with zombies. Its success launched a franchise composed of the animated prequel movie Seoul Station, the heist-themed sequel Peninsula, and the English-language adaptation The Last Train to New York.

Budget

$8.5 million

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