The Canadian Encyclopedia — neutral, cited, updated
July 26, 2026Sources cited
Canadianwire.
Canada’s encyclopedia & explainer
Home›Entertainment›Film›We Bury the Dead
Entertainment • Film

We Bury the Dead

We Bury the Dead is a 2024 Australian-American zombie horror drama film written and directed by Zak Hilditch.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

We Bury the Dead is a 2024 Australian-American zombie horror drama film written and directed by Zak Hilditch. The film stars Daisy Ridley, Mark Coles Smith, and Brenton Thwaites, and follows a woman searching for her missing husband in Tasmania after a catastrophic military disaster.

Plot

The film follows Ava Newman as she joins a body-recovery effort in Tasmania after a catastrophic military event. As she searches for her missing husband, she encounters the undead and uncovers a deeper threat.

Cast

The main cast includes Daisy Ridley as Ava Newman, Mark Coles Smith, and Brenton Thwaites. Matt Whelan also appears as Ava’s husband, Mitch.

Production and release

We Bury the Dead premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in 2024 and later screened at South by Southwest in 2025. It reached U.S. theatres in January 2026 and was released in Australia and New Zealand in February 2026.

Themes

Reviews describe the film as using the zombie premise to explore grief, loss, and emotional closure rather than focusing only on gore or action.

Key facts

  • The film was written and directed by Zak Hilditch.
  • Daisy Ridley stars as Ava, who searches for her missing husband after a disaster in Tasmania.
  • The story combines zombie horror with grief-driven drama.
  • The film premiered at festivals in 2024 and received a wider theatrical release in 2026.
  • It was released by Vertical in the United States.

Frequently asked questions

What is We Bury the Dead?
It is a zombie horror drama film written and directed by Zak Hilditch.
Who stars in the film?
The film stars Daisy Ridley, Mark Coles Smith, and Brenton Thwaites.
What is the plot about?
Ava Newman searches for her missing husband in Tasmania after a military disaster, while dealing with the undead and a growing quarantine-zone threat.
When was it released?
It premiered in 2024, then received wider releases in 2026, including a U.S. theatrical release on 2 January 2026.
How long is the film?
Its runtime is 95 minutes.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Bury_the_Dead
    Supports: Basic identification, year, genre, director, cast, and plot premise.
  2. RogerEbert.com — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/we-bury-the-dead-daisy-ridley-movie-review-2026
    Supports: Plot details, Tasmanian setting, and the film’s grief-focused interpretation.
  3. Variety — https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/we-bury-the-dead-review-daisy-ridley-zombie-1236333871/
    Supports: Plot description, cast, genre framing, and Tasmanian military-disaster premise.
  4. The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/we-bury-the-dead-movie-review-daisy-ridley
    Supports: Release context, festival history, and thematic emphasis on grief.
  5. Deep Focus Review — https://www.deepfocusreview.com/reviews/we-bury-the-dead/
    Supports: Runtime and plot summary.
  6. Associated Press — https://www.apnews.com/article/we-bury-dead-movie-review-9b369ccdf05ada0de3341f407872340c
    Supports: Runtime, rating, and release information.
  7. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/we_bury_the_dead
    Supports: Runtime, genre, and release date.
  8. Apple TV — https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/we-bury-the-dead/umc.cmc.2u9gxdh11f3qmip7znyk3hc6d
    Supports: Official synopsis and runtime.