The Best Horror Rom-Coms to Watch After Heart Eyes

Earlier this month, Heart Eyes hit movie theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day. The film is about the Heart Eyes killer, who for the past few years has been killing off couples on Valentine’s Day. This year he’s found himself in Seattle, setting his sights on Mason Gooding’s Jay Simmonds and Olivia Holt’s Ally McCabe. However, these two are not dating — they just have a ridiculous amounts of chemistry together and keep finding themselves in romantic situations. While Heart Eyes is without a doubt a slasher film, it is also a rom-com. It makes fun of this genre at times, but it also embraces its tropes.

Heart Eyes is a fun genre blend, and it’s an amazing date night film, especially for horror fans. The movie even won the hearts of most critics and audiences, receiving a respective 82% and 78% on Rotten Tomatoes. While a fun time, Heart Eyes is not the best horror rom-com. That title belongs to none other than Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead.

After Over 20 Years, Shaun of the Dead Is Still the Best Horror Rom-Com

In 2004, Shaun of the Dead became the the first film of The Cornetto Trilogy — also featuring Hot Fuzz and The World’s End — to hit the big screen, and it became a classic for many zombie fans. Like the other films in this trilogy, Shaun of the Dead is a comedic genre film. More specifically, it is a romantic zom-edy.

Shaun is a loser going nowhere in life, and his lack of drive and effort has been negatively effecting his relationship to Liz for sometime. Finally, she calls it quits after enough disappointment, but Shaun is determined to win Liz back. That alone sounds like a solid premise for a rom-com, but Shaun of the Dead takes it to the next level by having Shaun try to prove to Liz that he can be the man she wants right as the zombie apocalypse kicks off.

Shaun of the Dead has the visual gags, tight editing, and snappy humor Edgar Wright is still known for, and stars Simon Peg (Shaun) and Nick Frost (Ed) have incredible rapport and chemistry. Plus, this is a film that knows its zombie movies, having plenty of Easter eggs and jokes that’ll make the most die-hard Night of the Living Dead fan smile. Along with that, the film has genuinely heart-breaking deaths thanks to the way the actors, writing, and directing endears these characters to viewers. Yes, this is a movie audiences are meant to take joy in, but it has heavy, devastating moments like some of the most poignant zombie films do.

As for the romance aspect of this rom-zom, this storyline equally benefits from the phenomenal character work. Who Shaun is at the start of the film vs. who he is by the end are drastically different people. Not only has he shown Liz that he can be the partner she wants, but he’s also shown her and the audience a more vulnerable side to himself. Throughout the film, viewers see how deeply Shaun cares for Liz, as well as how he genuinely wants to do better for the both of them. Because of this, he gets the love of his life back. Shaun of the Dead absolutely delivers on all the genres it’s blending, making it the perfect horror rom-com.

Shaun of the Dead Is Not the Only Rom-Zomedy

For those who love Shaun of the Dead, there is another rom-zom they can check out with Warm Bodies, a zombified love story inspired by Romeo & Juliet. R (Nicholas Holt) is just another zombie, but that all changes when the human Julie (Teresa Palmer) enters his “life.” After saving her, they team up and form an unlikely relationship that could change everything. This film also makes a threat double feature with Zombieland, another that features a solid romantic subplot.

The 2009 dark comedy is very aware of the zombie genre, making fun of a lot of its cliches. It is also about Ohio (Jesse Eisenberg) teaming up with several other survivors in this zombified world and realizing that self-preservation may not be a priority if loved ones are in danger. While this is an ensemble film and the characters make a sweet found-family, Ohio develops particularly strong feelings for Wichita (Emma Stone), and they get a rom-com ending after Ohio throws his rules out the window for her sake.

For a more straight forward horror rom-com, though, look no further than Lisa Frankenstein. The directorial debut of Zelda Williams sees the titular Lisa bring a corpse back to life while she deals with her own boy troubles. This sets into motion an unexpected love story, as well as a string of deadly events. This film is more rom-com than horror movie, but it embraces the whimsical and the macabre with its premise and leading man, Cole Sprouse. These are just a few other horror rom-coms to check out, especially after seeing the delightful yet deadly Heart Eyes.