New Horror Movies Ep. 179: Dead Man Still Walking - Weapons (2025)

It's alive! Your favorite Zombie Movie Podcast shambles back into your ears once again — Dead Man Still Walking, starring the ever-insightful (and occasionally curmudgeonly) Dr. Walking Dead himself, Kyle William Bishop! In this episode, the good doctor is joined by none other than special guest Jay of the Dead for a thoughtful — and at times boisterous — discussion of "Weapons" (2025). In this edition, Dr. Bishop digs into a provocative question: Is Weapons actually more of a "true" zombie film than even the works of George A. Romero? It's a bold claim, and one that sparks plenty of analysis about what really defines a zombie narrative, beyond just shambling corpses and apocalyptic backdrops. That said, it's not all praise. Dr. Bishop shares some pointed gripes, chief among them his distaste for the film's title, "Weapons," which he argues undersells the thematic depth and complexity of the story. But where the film truly wins him over is in its non-linear narrative structure, a storytelling approach he absolutely loves and champions throughout the episode. Meanwhile, Jay of the Dead brings his own observations to the table, noting how the characters in Weapons are united by a pervasive and unsettling theme: powerlessness. Whether facing societal collapse, personal limitations, or existential dread, the film's characters struggle against forces far beyond their control — a hallmark, perhaps, of the most effective zombie storytelling. Join Dr. Bishop and Jay of the Dead for another unforgettable trek into the undead. Notes: This episode contains major plot spoilers for Weapons, so proceed with caution if you haven't seen it yet! This episode was recorded on August 14, 2025. Also, to view ALL of Dr. Bishop's Dead Man Still Walking solocast episodes can USE THIS LINK. And to view ALL of Dr. Bishop's episode-by-episode commentaries on The Last of Us – Seasons 1 and 2, with Jay of the Dead, then USE THIS LINK. Dead Man Still Walking is a biweekly, short-form solocast hosted by Dr. Walking Dead Kyle Bishop, author of American Zombie Gothic and How Zombies Conquered Popular Culture. Dr. Walking Dead also presents a popular segment called The Dead Zone on regular episodes of this podcast. For his Dead Man Still Walking solocast episodes, Dr. Bishop will focus exclusively on zombie films, with the occasional exploration of zombie-related themes, zombie television, and other zombie media (e.g., comics, literature, etc.). Dr. Bishop is an academic and professional scholar of zombie films and other zombie narratives. He has been teaching for 26 years. Dr. Bishop serves as an English professor, Film Studies professor, and he's currently the English Department Chair at Southern Utah University. You are welcome to reach out to Dr. Bishop with comments or questions via email: bishopk@suu.edu, X: @DrWalkingDead, BlueSky and Instagram (@DrWalkingDead). You can also watch the documentary, Doc of the Dead (2014), which features Dr. Walking Dead. Find more links below for Dr. Bishop. Be sure to subscribe to Jay of the Dead's new Horror movie podcast on: Apple PodcastsSpotifyDeezer   You are welcome to email our show at HauntingYourHeadphones@gmail.com. You can also follow Jay of the Dead's New Horror Movies on X: @HorrorAvengers Dead Man Still Walking with Dr. Kyle Bishop is brought to you by Jay of the Dead's New Horror Movies, an audio Horror movie podcast. It features nine experienced Horror hosts