Daisy Ridley Faces the Undead in First Trailer for ‘We Bury The Dead’
The first trailer for We Bury the Dead, a new zombie survival thriller starring Daisy Ridley, has been released. The film is written and directed by Zak Hilditch and also stars Mark Coles Smith, Brenton Thwaites, and Matt Whelan.
The story follows Ava Newman, played by Ridley, a woman desperate to find her missing husband after a catastrophic military experiment. In her search, Ava joins a “body retrieval unit,” but things take a terrifying turn when the corpses she is burying start showing signs of life.
First teaser for Zak Hilditch’s ‘WE BURY THE DEAD’ starring Daisy Ridley.
— Movie Coverage (@MovieCoverage_) October 1, 2025
In theaters January 2, 2026. pic.twitter.com/oITKw1Y9Yg
The movie had its world premiere in March at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. It is set for a limited theatrical release in Australia and New Zealand on October 9. North American audiences can expect a limited release in 2026, following Vertical’s acquisition of the distribution rights in May.
Filming began in Albany, Western Australia, on February 19, 2024, and wrapped on March 26, 2024. The cast expanded over time, with Kym Jackson, Matt Whelan, and Deanna Cooney joining as Lt. Wilkie, Mitch, and Bianca, respectively.
The film is already receiving strong early praise. On Rotten Tomatoes, 89 percent of 19 critics’ reviews are positive. Katie Rife of IndieWire wrote, “Overall, the craft of the movie is top-notch, with compelling performances, urgent pacing, and gorgeous cinematography.”
Variety’s Siddhant Adlakha added that the film “approaches the well-worn [zombie] subgenre with brand-new spins, resulting in haunting scenes that open a cinematic window into the darkest, most mysterious parts of the human condition. Unfortunately, it keeps swerving back toward traditional horror territory at breakneck speed, resulting in a lopsided structure.”
The new trailer gives a first look at the intense, emotional journey Ava faces in a world overrun by the undead. Fans of zombie survival stories and Daisy Ridley alike will want to check it out.
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