Director: Tina Romero

Writer: Romero and Erin Judge

Cast: Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Nina West, Tomas Matos, Margaret Cho, Jack Haven, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Cheyenne Jackson, Riki Lindhome, Dominique Jackson, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Becca Blackwell, Eve Lindley, Tom Savini and Julie J

Screened at: AMC 19th St. East 6 on Friday, June 6 during Tribeca Festival 2025 press screening

Few films dare to blend horror, humor, and sharp social commentary with as much flair as ‘Queens of the Dead.’ From its opening moments, the movie establishes a bold, unapologetic tone – one that embraces classic zombie tropes while injecting them with fresh perspective and biting wit. Set against a backdrop of chaos and survival, it quickly becomes clear the horror comedy isn’t just another undead story; it’s instead a character-driven exploration of identity, resilience and the power of unlikely alliances.

The LGBTQIA+ movie had its World Premiere in the Escape from Tribeca section at this year’s Tribeca Festival on June 7, 2025. The New York-based movie went on to win the Audience Award – Narrative at the New York-based festival.

Tina Romero made her feature film directorial debut on ‘Queens of the Dead.’ She also co-wrote the script with Erin Judge, and served as an executive producer on the project. The up-and-coming filmmaker is also the daughter of George A. Romero, the acclaimed creator of the modern zombie genre with movies like ‘Night of the Living Dead’ and ‘Dawn of the Dead.’

The new comedy stars an ensemble cast that’s led by Katy O’Brian. She’s joined on screen y Jaquel Spivey, Nina West, Tomas Matos, Margaret Cho, Jack Haven, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Cheyenne Jackson, Riki Lindhome, Dominique Jackson, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Becca Blackwell, Eve Lindley, Tom Savini and Julie J.

In ‘Queens of the Dead,’ the stage is set during a wild night inside a Brooklyn warehouse party boasting drag queens, a fully stocked bar and loud music. But things start off difficult with feuding performers, last-minute changes in schedule and a highly stressed-out party organizer, Dre (O’Brian), who’s struggling to hold everything together.

Dre couldn’t account for the evening’s biggest problem, though: a sudden onslaught of flesh-eating zombies. As if trying to work together to execute a party wasn’t challenging enough, now a motley crew of big personalities and eccentric characters must put their bickering aside and stave off the walking dead outbreak. Then maybe, if they can live long enough, it’ll finally be time to party.

The latest Romero to enter the zombie genre does so

with neon-drenched style, unapologetic queer energy and a sharp understanding that spectacle is just as important as scares. While its premise leans into familiar zombie territory, the film’s real triumph lies in its craft, particularly its cinematography, production design, costume work and score.

‘Queens of the Dead’s cinematographer, Shannon Madden transforms a single Brooklyn warehouse into a dynamic battlefield of color and motion. The camera rarely sits still, weaving through crowded dance floors and backstage corridors with a kinetic urgency that mirrors the escalating panic.

What’s most striking is Madden’s use of lighting. Saturated pinks, purples and sickly greens blur the line between party euphoria and apocalyptic horror. Strobe effects and shadow-heavy compositions make even mundane corners feel dangerous, turning the environment into an extension of the undead threat. Rather than relying on traditional horror darkness, the movie weaponizes visibility. Everything is seen, but nothing feels safe.

As Madden’s electrifying visuals transform the warehouse into a living, breathing nightmare, that same energy carries seamlessly into the film’s production design, where every detail of the space feels just as deliberate and alive. The horror comedy’s production designer, Holly Trotta builds a space that feels both authentic and heightened. The warehouse setting is richly layered with its glitter-streaked dressing rooms, chaotic bar setups and performance stages that look like they’ve hosted a hundred unforgettable nights.

As the zombie outbreak unfolds, that same space deteriorates in real time. Streamers become obstacles, props become weapons and once-inviting corners turn claustrophobic. Trotta’s design smartly supports the narrative arc: what begins as a sanctuary for self-expression slowly mutates into a trap, without ever losing its identity as a queer nightlife haven.

As Trotta’s evolving set design charts the warehouse’s transformation from exciting refuge to perilous trap, the film’s visual storytelling finds its next expression in the characters’ costume. Identity, performance and horror collide in strikingly personal ways in the their vibrant outfits.

Costume designer David Tabbert delivers one of the film’s standout achievements. The wardrobe is exuberant, theatrical and deeply character-driven, particularly for the drag performers, whose looks range from glamorous to grotesque in ways that cleverly parallel the zombie aesthetic.

Sequins, latex, feathers and bold silhouettes aren’t just visual flair—they become symbolic armor. Even as blood splatters and chaos erupts, the costumes maintain their integrity, reinforcing the movie’s theme of self-expression as resilience. In a genre where characters often lose individuality, ‘Queens of the Dead’ insists on preserving it, even in the face of annihilation.

While Tabbert’s costumes vividly express identity and resilience through spectacle and detail, the comedy’s energy doesn’t stop at the visual – its pulse carries into the soundtrack, where music becomes just as vital to the experience. The score by Blitz Berlin is a driving force behind the film’s tone. Pulsing electronic beats blend seamlessly with horror cues, creating a sonic landscape that feels equally suited for a dance floor and a chase sequence.

Rather than signaling fear in conventional ways, the music often leans into rhythm and momentum, amplifying both tension and absurdity. It keeps the film moving at a relentless pace, ensuring that even quieter moments feel charged with anticipation. The result is a soundtrack that doesn’t just accompany the action, it propels it.

Overall, ‘Queens of the Dead’ doesn’t just revive the zombie genre – it reinvents it with style, heart and a fiercely original voice. What could have been a familiar survival story instead becomes a celebration of identity and community, where individuality isn’t stripped away by apocalypse, but sharpened by it. In her feature film directorial debut, Romero proves to be a bold new presence behind the camera, honoring the legacy of her father while carving out a vision that’s entirely her own – the importance of defiance, joy and unapologetic self-expression.

Technical: A-

Acting: B+

Story: B+

Overall: B+