Shaun of the Dead (2004)
94%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: 13 wins & 20 nominations total
Shaun of the Dead cleverly balances scares and witty satire, making for a bloody good zombie movie with loads of wit.
Shaun of the Dead is the perfect blend of horror and humor, with a cast that will have you rooting for them until the very end. The zombies are gruesome, the jokes are hilarious, and the final punchline will leave you grinning from ear to ear. It’s no wonder this film is considered a classic in the zombie comedy genre. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride – just make sure you’re not surrounded by any zombies while you do!
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Working Title Films,
Distributor
Focus Features
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
The Duke of Albany – 39 Monson Road, New Cross, London, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for zombie violence/gore and language
Year of Release
2004
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 37m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 9, 2004 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 21, 2004
Genre(s)
Comedy/Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, directed by Edgar Wright, written by Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, comedy, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Antonia Quirke, Tim Robey, Wendy Ide, Paul Byrnes, Keith Phipps, Christy Lemire, Danilo Castro, Rachel Wagner, Kristy Strouse, Robin Holabird, Howard Gorman, produced by Nira Park, MPAA rating R, zombies, London, electronics store, girlfriend, best friend, mother, gore, language, zombie violence, surround sound, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS, scope, 2.35:1, Cornetto Trilogy, cinematography, character development, action, humor, heart, Queen, Apatow, visual cues, horror movies, MCU, Netflix series, TV shows, streaming movies, theaters, Fresh Kernels
Worldwide gross: $30,097,092
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $47,477,754
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,357
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,177,509
US/Canada gross: $13,542,874
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $21,363,700
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,389
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,300,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $5,205,705
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,094
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): £4,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Kate Ashfield – Liz
Lucy Davis – Dianne
Nick Frost – Ed
Dylan Moran – David
Bill Nighy – Philip
Director(s)
Edgar Wright
Writer(s)
Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright
Producer(s)
Nira Park
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
13 wins & 20 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (216) | Top Critics (53) | Fresh (198) | Rotten (18)
Shaun of the Dead is a cute, successful zombie spoof built on a central joke: if the undead actually came to London, supposedly turned-on town of nattering youth, no one would really notice.
December 18, 2017
Antonia Quirke
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
It may only be April, but what we have here is pretty likely to be the British comedy of the year, its knockout final punchline planting a silly grin on your face that takes some while to fade.
October 7, 2014
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Despite the emphasis on humour, Shaun shows its zombie movie credentials with some impressively gory special effects makeup and a willingness to despatch cast members in an exceptionally gruesome fashion.
October 7, 2014
Wendy Ide
Screen International
TOP CRITIC
Some scenes are too talky, too much like a sitcom, but whenever that threatens to sink the film, the zombies appear and save the day (if you see what I mean).
October 7, 2014
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Mixing horror and humor is no mean feat, but Shaun Of The Dead tightens throats in fear without making the laughs stick there in the process.
October 6, 2013
Keith Phipps
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
The pasty, scruffy Pegg shows a surprising amount of range for the unlikely hero of a zombie flick.
October 6, 2013
Christy Lemire
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Every single aspect of the film feels earned, including its classic status.
May 17, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
Danilo Castro
Next Best Picture
You have to give a lot of the credit for Shaun of the Dead to Pegg who pulls of the comedic and more emotional moments quite well.
March 6, 2022 | Rating: 8.5/10
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
A witty riff on zombie lore with plenty of gore to suffice, if you’re a fan of comedic reprieve on a horrifying sub-genre, look no further than Shaun of the Dead, you won’t be let down.
November 12, 2021
Kristy Strouse
Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
Shaun of the Dead provides all the basics of the Zombie Apocalypse genre and adds laughs to the mix.
October 15, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
It’s no easy task combining comedy and horror into a neat little package but Edgar Wright provides a taut homage and self-aware parody without ever falling into spoof territory.
June 10, 2021
Howard Gorman
NME
The best zombie comedy yet made.
December 16, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Wesley Lovell
Cinema Sight…
Plot
Shaun (Simon Pegg) doesn’t have a very good day, so he decides to turn his life around by getting his ex to take him back, but he times it for right in the middle of what may be a zombie apocalypse. But for him, it’s an opportunity to show everyone he knows how useful he is by saving them all. All he has to do is survive, and get his ex back.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no specific tidbit about someone in the cast mentioned on the Fresh Kernels page.for Shaun of the Dead.
Edgar-Wright.jpg
