White Zombie, widely regarded as the first feature-length zombie film, was released in 1932.
Victor Halperin directed the film, which stars Bela Lugosi as the sinister Legendre. Its zombies are not flesh-eating undead; they are living people placed under supernatural control through Haitian-inspired folklore.
The film was produced during the early sound era and helped establish cinematic images of hypnotic, blank-faced servants. It is often discussed alongside later zombie films even though its mythology differs sharply from George A. Romero’s modern undead.
A common mix-up is calling White Zombie the first zombie movie of any kind. Earlier short films and stories used related ideas, but White Zombie is commonly identified as the first feature-length example.