The Dead Don't Die

Centerville looks like any small town until the dead start wandering the streets. A cadre of locals, from the weary chief to the jittery deputies and a medley of quirky outsiders, find their routines upended as a slow-moving apocalypse unfolds. Jim Jarmusch leans into his signature deadpan style, letting dry humor and offbeat exchanges carry the tension as the undead amble through the neighborhoods. The story threads together a handful of intertwined lives, showing how foreseen danger and everyday banter collide in a way that feels both slyly comic and oddly tender. Bill Murray plays Chief Cliff Robertson, Adam Driver is Officer Ronnie Peterson, with Chloë Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, and Caleb Landry Jones rounding out the ensemble.

Directed by Jim Jarmusch from an original screenplay, The Dead Don't Die premiered at Cannes in 2019 and later opened in theaters through Focus Features. The film brings together an ensemble anchored by Bill Murray and Adam Driver, framed by sly humor and deadpan exchanges.

Box office revenue worldwide reached 15,325,468 on an 11 million budget, a modest but respectable return for a Jim Jarmusch project in the genre blend of horror and comedy, reflecting steady interest in his offbeat style worldwide.

Given Jarmusch's cult status, the film sparked chatter about its offbeat deadpan humor and quirky visuals. It became a talking point among fans of minimalist zombie twists, riffing on small-town routines and the idea that death can feel almost comic, thanks to a memorable ensemble, including Swinton and Sevigny.

Critics generally divided, praising the mood and performances while noting the sporadic laughs and deliberate pacing. The film probes mortality and satire, showing how ordinary lives absorb a catastrophe, all delivered with Jarmusch's dry irony rather than conventional suspense. The themes appeal to fans of understated horror and dry wit.