Daisy Ridley’s latest thriller explores grief through zombie horror. Released January 2, 2026, We Bury the Dead transforms a search for closure into an emotional journey through post-apocalyptic Tasmania.
Table of Contents
We Bury the Dead Movie Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | January 2, 2026 |
| Director | Zak Hilditch |
| Stars | Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites |
| Genre | Zombie Thriller/Drama |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 85% |
The Devastating Setup
After a catastrophic U.S. military experiment kills 500,000+ people in Tasmania, Ava Newman (Daisy Ridley) joins a body retrieval unit to find her missing husband, Mitch. The catch? Victims are “coming back online” as increasingly violent zombies.
Partnered with local Clay (Brenton Thwaites), Ava crosses the dangerous island confronting both the undead and painful truths about her marriage.
The Heartbreaking Discovery
Reaching the southern resort, Ava finds Mitch’s body among casualties. The truth: he’d been having an affair, revealing their marriage was already broken. Her rescue mission becomes a confrontation with illusion.
The Fiery Farewell
Instead of traditional burial where the dead reanimate, Ava and Clay place Mitch’s body on a motorboat, set it ablaze, and send it to sea. This ensures he cannot return as a zombie while symbolizing Ava releasing her grief.
According to ScreenRant, this represents “a little tiny miracle in all of the devastation.”
The Miracle Ending
Walking toward safety, Ava and Clay encounter Riley’s reanimated wife who has just given birth. Amid death and decay, they find a perfectly healthy baby without zombie features.
Ava picks up the infant and cries tears of joy. This symbolizes that even in a destroyed world, hope exists. The unexpected miracle suggests life persists in humanity’s darkest hour.
Critical Reception
We Bury the Dead earned 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praise it as contemplative zombie cinema prioritizing character over gore—more Maggie than 28 Days Later.
For more analyses, explore our film reviews and thriller picks.
FAQs
Is We Bury the Dead a traditional zombie horror movie?
No, it’s a character-driven drama using zombies as grief metaphors, focusing on emotional depth rather than action-packed scares and gore.
What does the baby symbolize at the end?
The healthy newborn represents hope, renewal, and life’s resilience—proving that even amid catastrophic destruction, new beginnings are possible and worth fighting for.
