Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt
A killer cast of drag royalty and queer icons slays the zombie apocalypse in Tina Romero’s outrageous new horror-comedy.
When the zombie apocalypse hits Brooklyn, who’s left to save the day? A fierce lineup of drag queens, club kids, and chosen-family frenemies armed with stilettos, sass, and an arsenal of deadly lip-syncs. That’s the premise of Queens of the Dead, the new horror-comedy from filmmaker Tina Romero, daughter of legendary zombie auteur George A. Romero.
Set during a massive warehouse party that turns into ground zero for a full-blown undead outbreak, the film brings together an eclectic cast of queer icons and scene-stealing stars. As the scrolling, brain-thirsty undead invade the dance floor, a group of fabulous misfits must put aside their shade and drama to fight for survival — and maybe, just maybe, save the world in the process.
The ensemble cast reads like a who’s-who of queer pop culture. Drag superstar Nina West (RuPaul’s Drag Race) leads a glittering lineup that includes Pose’s iconic Dominique Jackson, Glee and Broadway heartthrob Cheyenne Jackson, and comedy legend Margaret Cho, whose biting wit and fearless presence bring a sharp edge to the chaos. Add in breakout stars like Jaquel Spivey (A Strange Loop), Tomas Matos (Fire Island), and Katy O’Brian (The Mandalorian), and you’ve got a dream team ready to slay — literally.
Romero and co-writer Erin Judge (a comedian and author known for her queer feminist humor) blend horror, camp, and social commentary into a blood-splattered celebration of queer resilience and found family. The film is as much about friendship and self-acceptance as it is about surviving the apocalypse — because if anyone knows how to thrive in the face of disaster, it’s drag queens and queer nightlife survivors.
Romero, a filmmaker, writer, and DJ based in New York City, is no stranger to the world of the undead. As the daughter of Night of the Living Dead creator George A. Romero, she grew up steeped in cinematic gore and dark humor. But her vision of horror has a distinctly modern — and queer — twist.
“Tina’s greatest influence, in film and in life, is her father,” reads her bio, “but as a self-described ‘edgy cheeseball,’ she invites audiences into a whimsical, androgynous world far away from the everyday.” That sensibility comes alive in Queens of the Dead, where drag meets doomsday with fabulous flair.
Romero, who serves as Vice President of the George A. Romero Foundation, carries on her father’s legacy of using horror to reflect society’s anxieties — only this time, with sequins, shade, and a killer sense of humor.
Queens of the Dead isn’t just another zombie flick — it’s a glitter-streaked love letter to queer nightlife, drag artistry, and the power of community in the face of chaos. It’s gory, it’s glamorous, and it’s unapologetically gay.
In a genre often dominated by straight, cis-male heroes, Queens of the Dead reclaims the apocalypse for the queens, the misfits, and everyone who knows that survival is the ultimate act of pride.