Horror comedies for groups

The central pair are easy to root for, so every disastrous misunderstanding has an emotional point as well as a punchline. A strong starting choice for friends new to splatter comedy.

For your group: Accidental deaths are graphic, and the final stretch is less purely farcical.

The island community and the monster's inconvenient aversion give the group a clear survival puzzle. Its attractive setting and personable creature-comedy rhythm make it an easy second film.

For your group: Alcohol is central to the plot; the film also has violent creature attacks.

Panic keeps generating worse decisions, and the zombies refuse to behave like a manageable problem. This is a reliable anchor when the room values practical monsters and a punk atmosphere.

For your group: Gory, includes nudity, and has a bleaker outlook than its comic scenes might suggest.

The infection makes small-town relationships physically disgusting, giving the jokes more to work with than anonymous victims. Choose it for a group enthusiastic about elaborate body-horror effects.

For your group: Heavy slime, bodily invasion and sexual grotesquerie; a poor match for squeamish viewers.

The college setting and hard-boiled detective make an easy frame for a collection of monster-movie ideas. A good pick when friends like recognising genre ingredients without needing an outright parody.

For your group: Some jokes rely on familiar clichés; expect gore alongside the retro affection.

Carnivorous sheep are an immediately readable joke, and the practical nastiness gives it plenty of physical variations. The rural setting helps distinguish it from another suburban zombie comedy.

For your group: Animal transformations and bloody attacks. The livestock joke repeats, so buy into it early.

Elvis, a would-be JFK and a nursing-home mummy create the invitation, but the unlikely friendship supplies the reason to stay. This is the more tender, reflective choice in the group.

For your group: Gentle pacing, ageing and mortality; do not advertise it as nonstop splatter farce.

The replacement arm turns a survivor's problem into a weapon for a much larger undead conflict. Pick it for a crowd that wants the sequel to get substantially more excessive.

For your group: Extreme comic violence includes children and other vulnerable victims. Agree on that tone beforehand.

A family’s attempt to profit from a zombie creates a different kind of outbreak story. Choose it for viewers who want affectionate characters and a strange romance alongside the bodily comedy.

For your group: Korean-language film with zombie violence; give the family exchanges room instead of expecting constant action.