Zombie Horror Reborn: Daisy Ridley Stars in We Bury the Dead Trailer

The undead are waking — and Daisy Ridley is ready. The first full trailer for We Bury the Dead has dropped, offering a bone-chilling glimpse at the new zombie horror from writer-director Zak Hilditch.

In the teaser, Ridley’s character, Ava, is seen wielding an axe and confronting reanimated corpses in a world where death is no longer final. What begins as a mission to recover bodies spirals into nightmare territory when the dead refuse to stay buried.

The film is set in Tasmania, following a catastrophic military experiment that results in mass fatalities. Ava, desperate to find her missing husband, enlists with a “body retrieval unit” meant to identify and bury the deceased. But as she journeys deeper into ravaged towns, bodies begin to stir—and horror ensues.

Produced by Penguin Empire, Campfire Studios, and Gramercy Park Media, We Bury the Dead boasts a cast that includes Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, and Matt Whelan alongside Ridley. The film has already screened at SXSW 2025 and was picked up by Vertical Entertainment for North American distribution.

Critics note the film leans equally into horror and emotional drama: the zombie elements are menacing, yes, but what truly lingers is the grief, the unanswered questions, and the desperation to say goodbye.

We Bury the Dead is slated for a U.S. theatrical release on January 2, 2026