Gear up, queens! A new zombie apocalypse film is on its way — but this one is putting LGBTQ+ characters front and center.
Tina Romero is set to carry on the horror legacy of her father, George A. Romero, with a zombie flick of her own, Queens of the Dead. The horror-comedy project was announced last summer, promising a “genre-smashing, glam-gore thrill ride through the zombie apocalypse.”
“The zombie apocalypse is such a rich sandbox to play in when it comes to social commentary. I can’t be my dad’s daughter without making an attempt at saying something with zombies,” Romero told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s very much not a film he would make, but it is using his vocabulary and is playing by his rules. As far as the queer element, on one hand, I just feel like the gays need a zombie film. It’s time that we get to have a big gay zombie movie.”
Are you hyped yet?! Here’s what we know about the movie so far:
What is ‘Queens of the Dead’ about?
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According to the official Instagram page for the film, Queens of the Dead “follows an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies who must put aside their personal dramas and use their unique skills to combat the brain-thirsty undead when a zombie apocalypse breaks out during their drag show in Brooklyn.”
Who is in the cast for ‘Queens of the Dead’?
Queens of the Dead boasts a stacked cast of comedy and queer faves. Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Tomás Matos, Margaret Cho, Jack Haven, and Cheyenne Jackson are leading the charge, with Riki Lindhome, Tom Savini, Eve Lindley, Dominique Jackson, Nina West, and Shaunette Renée Wilson among those rounding out the cast.
Romero directed the film, which is based on a script she co-wrote with Erin Judge.
Where was ‘Queens of the Dead’ filmed?
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Most of the scenes for Queens of the Dead were filmed at a warehouse in New Jersey, with some additional shots taking place in Bushwick in Brooklyn.
According to O’Brian, the location wound up helping the crew pull in favors from a larger production that had recently wrapped up filming in New York, The Bride!
“Our budget was not big, and people really were doing this out of the love for the project. I think it really shows,” she said. “Our hair and makeup department pulled in some favors and got all of this zombie stuff.”
Is there a trailer for ‘Queens of the Dead’?
There is not currently a trailer publicly available for Queens of the Dead, although it seems likely one will drop soon.
Is there a release date for ‘Queens of the Dead’?
Queens of the Dead has its official world premiere slated for June 7, 2025, at the Tribeca Film Festival. It’s unclear yet as to whether the film will ultimately get theatrical distribution or go straight to streaming after running the festival circuit — let alone when that might be — but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for sometime in 2025!
