Dead Trigger (2017)

When Video Games Go Full Apocalypse

From console to chaos, the undead are now your mission.

Based on the hit mobile first-person shooter of the same name, Dead Trigger attempts to bring the game’s frantic zombie-slaying energy to the big screen. Directed by Mike Cuff and Scott Windhauser, the movie swaps joystick reflexes for gun-slinging mercenaries, hordes of infected, and a plot that’s part survival story, part sci-fi conspiracy.

The Plot

The world has fallen to a deadly virus, transforming much of the population into zombies. As governments collapse, the mysterious Cybergeddon Corporation launches a survival simulation—a video game called Dead Trigger. The twist? It’s a recruitment tool, designed to find the best zombie-killers for real-world missions.

When a team of top players is assembled, they’re deployed to find a missing scientist who holds the key to humanity’s salvation. What follows is a barrage of undead encounters, gunfire, and gritty one-liners.

Why It’s Not Your Average Zombie Flick

Straight from your phone screen – Few films adapt mobile games, and Dead Trigger dives headfirst into that niche, leaning into its game-inspired tone.
Dolph Lundgren in zombie mode – The action veteran plays Captain Kyle Walker, bringing his signature stoic toughness to the role.
A mix of practical and digital carnage – While not Hollywood-level in budget, the filmmakers combine old-school zombie makeup with CGI mayhem for a pulpy, grindhouse feel.
Meta-gaming premise – A zombie movie where playing the game is literally training for the apocalypse gives it a slight sci-fi twist over the usual undead outbreak formula.

Interesting Facts

The film is loosely inspired by Madfinger Games’ Dead Trigger app, which has over 30 million downloads worldwide.
Filming took place in Eastern Europe, with abandoned industrial sites doubling as quarantine zones.
Dolph Lundgren reportedly did many of his own action beats despite the intense shooting schedule.
The production originally aimed for a more serious tone, but later embraced its B-movie energy to match the source material’s over-the-top vibe.

Bottom Line

Dead Trigger isn’t reinventing the zombie wheel, but it does serve up a mix of game-inspired missions, undead hordes, and Lundgren-led gunfights. It’s a guilty-pleasure watch for fans of zombie shooters who don’t mind some camp in their carnage.

Because sometimes, the only way to survive the apocalypse…
is to play the game for real.