The horror genre is set for a packed lineup in 2026 with some of the highly anticipated zombie horror films, including Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot, We Bury the Dead, and The Bone Temple.
Another zombie horror film is added to the calendar with the release of the This Is Not a Test trailer. The film premiered at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last October. The zombie danger is seen pounding on the door once again, this time under the distribution of Shudder and Independent Film Company.
Plot details of This Is Not a Test (2026)
This Is Not a Test is adapted from Courtney Summers’ book of the same name. It follows a small group of teens navigating a brutal survival journey during a zombie apocalypse.
Catch the trailer here:
Director’s vision for the film
Adam MacDonald is a Canadian filmmaker whose tension-filled survival horror and thriller films are his identity. His short film, Sombre Zombie (2005), focused on a man who lives a zombie-like life. Now, his latest work is also based on a zombie apocalypse, which tells a lot about his work’s focus.
He has established himself as a director who specializes in psychological horror, intense character studies, and the elevation of genre tropes. He likes to study the character rather than showing a reliance on gore. Amidst a zombie outbreak, he still preferred exploring the mental states and trauma of the teenagers stuck in the mayhem in This Is Not a Test.
While talking to Dread Central, Adam admitted that the character of Sloane (played by Olivia Holt) pulled him into the book. He explained,
“I went through a very rough period in my life when I was in my teens, and I was compelled to tell this story as a love letter to teenagers to never lose hope.” [Source]
The book was a moving experience for him, and he felt the need to pass the extraordinary story to the audience. Certainly, he elucidated that the process of book-to-film adaptation has its own challenges, as everything needs to be broken down into “beats” and include your own “gut” so that “all of it makes sense.”
He went on to spill the beans about his absolute love for zombie films. He has been a fan of the “eerie and unsettling idea of the undead” and was genuinely scared by his first-ever exposure to zombies at the age of six. It was Michael Jackson’s music video for the song, Thriller.
He was further blown away by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s reimagining of the zombie genre in 28 Days Later (2002). Adam MacDonald believes that zombies are more human than they appear—undead, yet reflecting real emotions—and serve as a powerful metaphor for depression. They shouldn’t be seen merely as monsters but as a rich vehicle for expressing complex ideas and feelings.
Does This Is Not a Test trailer prove that Hollywood is running out of ideas?
The zombie genre seems to dominate Hollywood as the trend remains robust with other recent titles like We Bury the Dead (2026) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026). This genre remains a staple of modern horror, often used to reflect social anxieties.
The genre seemed to be thriving from past historic successes of Train to Busan (2016), All of Us Are Dead (2022 series), #Alive (2020), Kingdom (2019 series), World War Z (2013), and Dawn of the Dead (2004). Out of these, the South Korean films and series stand out for a specific reason, as the stories were emotionally driven, character-focused, and internationally successful.
The blend of high-intensity action—far removed from the slow, shambling zombies of the past that lurched forward with outstretched arms—combined with South Korean cinema’s signature heartfelt human drama, reinvigorated the genre and proved that zombie films could resonate far beyond traditional horror audiences.
These past successes paved the way for today’s Hollywood wave of ambitious zombie projects, encouraging studios to invest in larger budgets, deeper storytelling, and long-term franchises. Consequently, the zombie genre continues to thrive- adapting to contemporary fears while remaining one of modern horror’s most reliable and versatile forms.
However, Hollywood isn’t necessarily out of ideas, but is trying to play it safe. Hollywood is clearly capitalizing on contemporary fears like pandemics and biological threats, societal collapse and political instability, loss of trust in systems, isolation, and survival anxiety.
This might signal creative exhaustion of Hollywood, but the ongoing popularity of zombie apocalypse films suggests that Hollywood is using the genre as a mirror for the present moment. The fears being explored continue to evolve, keeping the genre relevant as it grows more crowded.
When is This Is Not a Test (2026) releasing?
Independent Film Company has slated This Is Not a Test (2026) for a limited theatrical release on February 20, 2026.
Genre: Horror, thriller, mystery
Cast: Luke Macfarlane, Froy Gutierrez, Corteon Moore, Carson MacCormac, Missy Peregrym, Olivia Holt, Chloe Avakian
Director: Adam MacDonald
Writers: Adam MacDonald, Courtney Summers
Producers: Adam MacDonald, Cybill Lui
Release date: February 20, 2026
Movie runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Feeling zombie fatigue? Could This Is Not a Test bring something fresh to the genre? We want to hear from you—drop a comment!
Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
She brings a personal, insightful approach to every story—whether she’s analyzing the emotional layers of a film or giving her take on trending celebrity headlines. Madiha’s writing style is known for being authentic, well-researched, and reader-focused.
When she’s not writing, she’s fully immersed in the world of entertainment—watching new releases, revisiting classics, exploring behind-the-scenes content, or reading books that fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling drives her work and helps her stay connected to what matters most in the industry.
Madiha believes great stories start conversations, challenge perspectives, and stay with us long after the credits roll. Through her writing, she continues to share those stories with clarity, depth, and heart.
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