Bill Murray fights zombies on Netflix

If there’s a common thread connecting the random licensed movies that fly up the Netflix charts only to disappear into the ether days later, it’s the casts. These films often have a recognizable star, an incredible supporting cast, or both. The third possibility is the case The dead don’t diethe zombie invasion comedy starring Bill Murray and Adam Driver.

Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch (Stranger than paradise, crushed flowers), follows the absurdist “zom-com” police force in the small town of Centerville as they try to fend off a horde of zombies. Murray and Driver play Chief Cliff Robertson and Officer Ronnie Peterson.

In addition to Murray and Driver, the ensemble features Chloë Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Tom Waits, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Carol Kane, RZA, Austin Butler, Sturgill Simpson and Selena Gomez.

Despite the star-studded cast, The dead don’t die didn’t make much of a splash, earning just $15 million at the box office. Critics and audiences weren’t exactly thrilled either, as the film sits at 54% on Rotten tomatoes with an even lower 38% audience score.

AV club’s Katie Rife said this in 2019: “Jim Jarmusch’s films are always laconic, but this one felt less like a bunch of old friends hanging out and more like old friends dutifully showing up to do one of them a half-hearted favor .”

“The worst movie I’ve seen in a long time!” one RT user complained. “This should have been a Netflix release. 2 hours of my life I’ll never get back.”

Five years later, they have finally got their wish, as the film is now streaming on Netflix.