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Black Zombie

Play trailer 1:56 Poster for Black Zombie Now Playing 1h 30m Documentary Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 35 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
BLACK ZOMBIE digs beneath the blood-soaked spectacle of modern horror to uncover the zombie's buried and unsettling origins. Long before it became associated with flesh-eating ghouls, the zombie was a living metaphor for slavery: not a monster, but the ultimate victim of colonial power. A symbol of stolen agency was recast as an object of fear, while Black spiritual traditions were distorted, sensationalized, and erased. Director Maya Annik Bedward traces the evolution of the zombie from colonial Haiti to contemporary Hollywood, reconsidering iconic films like WHITE ZOMBIE, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, and THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW alongside archival footage, vérité scenes, and interviews with cultural historians, artists, and genre legends including Yves-Grégory Francois, Mambo Labelle Déesse, Slash, Tom Savini, and Zandashé Brown. Part cultural reckoning, part horror remix, BLACK ZOMBIE exposes how a figure born from enslavement, spiritual belief, and resistance was transformed into one of pop culture's most profitable monsters.
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Black Zombie

Critics Reviews

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Peyton Robinson RogerEbert.com 3 days ago
3/4
While modern-day blind spots burden the film, 'Black Zombie’ stays true to its motivation: lifting the cloche on the erasure and exploitation that founded one of horror’s most iconic figures. Go to Full Review Lisa Kennedy New York Times Sep 10, 2026
In the ruins of a sugar plantation, this cultural multi-hyphenate performs a ritual dance, his rich voice beckoning the spirits — and viewers — like a hymn, like a restorative balm. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey Variety Aug 3, 2026
While “Black Zombie” isn’t quite the genre “greatest hits” parade many viewers may be hoping for, it does provide a thought-provoking perspective -- one that might add some depth to your next experience of undead cinema, however purely escapist. Go to Full Review Aaron Neuwirth We Live Entertainment 7 hrs ago
8/10
A wonderful exploration of zombie mythology and Bedward’s thoughts on how it ties directly to slavery. Go to Full Review Courtney Small Exclaim! 1 day ago
9/10
Giving a voice back to those who have long practiced Vodou, Bedward presents a religion steeped in a rich history of faith, community and survival. Go to Full Review Brian Farvour The Playlist 2 days ago
A
“Black Zombie”...doesn’t ignore Romero’s contributions, nor Hollywood’s as a whole. Rather, this incredible doc takes a look at where “The Last of Us” and “The Walking Dead” owe a debt of thanks, and the answer is as unlikely as it is fascinating. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
Black Zombie

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Cast & Crew

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Maya Annik Bedward

Director

Yves-Grégory Francois

Self

Tananarive Due

Self

Mambo Labelle Déese Botanica

Self

Slash

Self

Tom Savini

Self
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Black Zombie

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Black Zombie

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Movie Info

Synopsis BLACK ZOMBIE digs beneath the blood-soaked spectacle of modern horror to uncover the zombie's buried and unsettling origins. Long before it became associated with flesh-eating ghouls, the zombie was a living metaphor for slavery: not a monster, but the ultimate victim of colonial power. A symbol of stolen agency was recast as an object of fear, while Black spiritual traditions were distorted, sensationalized, and erased. Director Maya Annik Bedward traces the evolution of the zombie from colonial Haiti to contemporary Hollywood, reconsidering iconic films like WHITE ZOMBIE, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, and THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW alongside archival footage, vérité scenes, and interviews with cultural historians, artists, and genre legends including Yves-Grégory Francois, Mambo Labelle Déesse, Slash, Tom Savini, and Zandashé Brown. Part cultural reckoning, part horror remix, BLACK ZOMBIE exposes how a figure born from enslavement, spiritual belief, and resistance was transformed into one of pop culture's most profitable monsters.
Director
Maya Annik Bedward
Producer
Maya Annik Bedward, Hannah Donegan, Kate Fraser
Screenwriter
Maya Annik Bedward
Distributor
Kino Lorber
Production Co
Raven Banner Entertainment
Genre
Documentary, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 11, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 6, 2026
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.9K
Runtime
1h 30m
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