Zombie Royalty Rises: George A. Romero’s Daughter Brings Queens of the Dead to Digital

If you grew up on George A. Romero's zombie movies (same), here's a neat generational handoff: his daughter Tina Romero just made her own feature debut with a zombie flick, and it has now hit digital after a theatrical run in October. The movie is called 'Queens of the Dead', and you can rent or buy it on Amazon right now.

The setup: one night, one club, a very bad timing for the apocalypse

Romero co-wrote the film with novelist/comedian Erin Judge, and the premise is set right at the start of the outbreak. A warehouse party in Bushwick is spiraling: the promoter's headliner bails, so she begs a friend — a retired drag legend — to dust off the heels and save the night. Then the dead start showing up, the party turns into a siege, and a mismatched crew has to decide whether to bolt or barricade themselves inside a nearby nightclub. It's very much about people who are not built for combat figuring out how to make it through till morning.

Cast worth rooting for

• Katy O'Brian (Love Lies Bleeding)
• Jack Haven (I Saw the TV Glow)
• Margaret Cho (Fire Island)
• Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story)
• Nina West (RuPaul's Drag Race)
• Jaquel Spivey (Mean Girls)
• Tomas Matos (Fire Island)
• Quincy Dunn-Baker (No Hard Feelings)
• Becca Blackwell (Bros)
• Shaunette Renee Wilson (Black Panther)
• Dominique Jackson (Pose)
• Riki Lindhome (Knives Out)
• Eve Lindley (Bros)
• Drag artist Julie J

Horror fans will clock a couple of legacy faces too: Tom Savini — a frequent Romero collaborator — pops up, and Gaylen Ross from 'Dawn of the Dead' appears as well. That is a fun touch.

'This is the cast of my wildest dreams... Every single person in this ensemble brings such a special and specific flavor... The result is truly a magic sauce.'

Behind the camera

Tina Romero steps into feature directing here, years after her father rewired the genre with 'Night of the Living Dead' back in 1968 and essentially redefined what 'zombie' meant. George A. Romero passed away in 2017, but you can feel the lineage: ordinary people, sudden crisis, do you run or board up the place? Producing duties are handled by Vanishing Angle's Matthew Lee Miller and Natalie Metzger.

Where to watch

'Queens of the Dead' is available now on digital. If you missed its theatrical bow in October, it's a quick rent or buy on Amazon. The idea of a Bushwick club under siege with a retired drag icon rallying the room is a great swing for a debut, and the cast is stacked enough that I want to see who makes it to sunrise.