Directed by Maya Annik Bedward, Black Zombie examines how the popular perception of zombies through the Hollywood lens has distorted, sensationalized, and erased parts of the Black spiritual traditions that the zombie rose from.
“Even if in contemporary zombie films, you don’t necessarily connect the zombie to Haiti, you still see in a lot of Hollywood films how voodoo is something you’re supposed to be scared of, and that it is used against you by some kind of evil sorcerer. So, that legacy still exists today,” Bedward said in an interview with The Rolling Tape (Sept. 11, 2026).
Films explored in the documentary include White Zombie, Night of the Living Dead, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and more. Experts, historians, and genre artists including Yves-Grégory Francois, Mambo Labelle Déesse, Slash, Tom Savini, and Zandashé Brown lend their expertise through interviews in the film.
Back Zombie is now available to rent and purchase on major digital platforms including Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and more.
Find where to watch this and many more films in our New & Upcoming Horror Movies tracker.
