As the leaves turn and Halloween approaches, the specter of zombies is once again shuffling into the spotlight—not just in the realm of pop culture, but in the data-driven world of state preparedness. This October, Louisiana has found itself at the center of an unexpected intersection between spooky season thrills and practical survival strategy, ranking among the top ten states most equipped to weather a zombie apocalypse, according to a new report released on October 1, 2025.
The study, conducted by CanadaCasino and reported by KMDL-FM, crunched the numbers on what it would take for each U.S. state to survive a hypothetical onslaught of the undead. The analysts considered a range of factors: the availability of water, the number of community hospitals per capita, access to hunting stores, and even the presence of military bases and airports. The result? Louisiana landed in the 10th slot, with a readiness score of 4.08 out of 10—no small feat, considering the fierce (and fictional) competition.
"It appears though the fact that we have a good bit of water in the state is helpful in the fight against zombies, along with the number of community hospitals per 100,000 people, plus our higher number of hunting stores," observed KMDL-FM. Water, in particular, is a strategic asset: not only does it provide a natural barrier against shambling hordes, but it’s also crucial for human survival in any disaster scenario, undead or otherwise.
Alaska, perhaps unsurprisingly, took the top spot. With a population density of just one person per square mile and a staggering 67.4 hunting stores per 100,000 people, the Last Frontier seems almost tailor-made for post-apocalyptic living. The report notes that these factors would make it easier to avoid zombies and secure resources, giving Alaskans a clear edge. On the other end of the spectrum, New Jersey was named the least prepared state, earning a paltry 1.66 out of 10. Its dense population—already a challenge in everyday life—would become a logistical nightmare in the event of a fast-spreading outbreak.
But while some Louisianans might be joking about their newfound zombie-readiness status, the topic of the undead is also dominating screens and streaming services this fall. On October 1, 2025, the first trailer dropped for "We Bury the Dead," a new zombie movie starring Daisy Ridley of Star Wars fame. The film, directed by Zak Hilditch and co-starring Brenton Thwaites, follows Ava (Ridley), a woman who joins a body retrieval unit after a cataclysmic event. Her mission is as personal as it is perilous: she’s searching for her husband amidst chaos, while her team faces a chilling new threat—some of the bodies they’re meant to recover are rising from the dead.
The movie, which premiered at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in March 2025, has already garnered critical praise. According to ScreenRant, it boasts an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score, aggregated from 19 reviews. Grant Hermanns, reviewing for ScreenRant, described it as a "modest" but effective take on the zombie genre, lauding both Ridley and Thwaites for their performances. The emotional stakes, as teased in the trailer, revolve around Ava’s desperate hope to be reunited with her husband—a human anchor in an inhuman world.
"We Bury the Dead" is set for theatrical release on January 2, 2026, and is positioning itself as a subversive, contemporary entry into a crowded genre. The timing is notable: just weeks later, the highly anticipated sequel "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is slated to hit theaters, promising a box office showdown that will test just how much appetite audiences have for tales of the undead. As noted by ScreenRant, "We Bury the Dead" will have a brief window to capture the attention of horror fans before the bigger franchise film arrives.
Director Zak Hilditch, known for his work on the well-reviewed thrillers These Final Hours and 1922, brings a reputation for blending emotional depth with genre thrills. Producers Ross M. Dinerstein, Mark Fasano, Grant Sputore, Kelvin Munro, and Nathan Klingher round out the creative team, aiming to deliver a film that’s both chilling and character-driven. The runtime is a lean 92 minutes, suggesting a tight, focused narrative rather than a sprawling epic.
For Daisy Ridley, "We Bury the Dead" marks another step in her post-Star Wars career, following roles in the psychological thriller The Marsh King's Daughter and the sports biopic Young Woman and the Sea. Brenton Thwaites, with credits in Pirates of the Caribbean and Titans, brings his own action pedigree to the project. Both actors are expected to draw fans from their previous franchises, giving the film a boost in visibility.
What sets "We Bury the Dead" apart, according to early reviews, is its willingness to explore not just the mechanics of survival, but the emotional and moral fallout of a world gone mad. The film’s depiction of the outbreak’s origins is said to be especially haunting, raising questions about what humanity looks like when faced with the unimaginable. The trailer, with its stark visuals and tense atmosphere, hints at a story that’s as much about love and loss as it is about fear and survival.
Meanwhile, the cultural fascination with zombies shows no sign of waning. From annual Halloween events to viral social media challenges, the undead are everywhere—sometimes literally, as in the case of the infamous accidental "zombie alert" sent out during a power outage in one city, as reported by KMDL-FM. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gotten in on the act, issuing tongue-in-cheek warnings about "zombie deer" (a reference to chronic wasting disease in wildlife).
Louisiana itself has long been a fertile ground for stories of the supernatural, with local legends like the Rougaroux and Kooshma haunting the bayous alongside more familiar ghouls. It’s perhaps fitting, then, that the state would rank so highly in a study about surviving the ultimate supernatural threat. As Bruce Mikells quipped in his gallery for KMDL-FM, there’s no shortage of odd things people say when they find out you’re from Louisiana—now, being zombie-ready can be added to the list.
Of course, the odds of an actual zombie apocalypse remain firmly in the realm of fiction (and perhaps fevered Halloween imagination). But the exercise of ranking states by their preparedness serves as a quirky reminder of the real-world factors that matter in any disaster: access to resources, strong community infrastructure, and a little bit of local know-how. Whether you’re bracing for hurricanes or hypothetical hordes, it never hurts to be ready.
As Louisiana basks in its top-ten status and horror fans gear up for the next wave of zombie films, one thing is clear: the undead may belong to the world of make-believe, but our fascination with them is alive and kicking.
