REVIEW: ‘Queens of the Dead’ Is A Delightfully Undead Queerfest

It’s extremely delightful that we’re able to get unapologetically queer horror films right now, especially with the state of the world. Many horror fans feel safe in the genre, and many folks will be comfortable hanging out in the world of Queens of the Dead. Not to mention, it’s a film directed by Tina Romero, the daughter of late horror icon George A. Romero. 

Queens of the Dead follows a band of drag queens, club workers, and other folks who band together to battle hungry zombies. The film isn’t like Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days Later, or any other zombie (or infected people) horror film. Instead, it feels more like the good time that is the Tubi Original, Slay. Just like that film, this is a blend of subgenres because it’s quite comedic too. If you’re hoping for seriousness for the entire runtime, then you might be in the wrong place. 

Queens of the Dead opens with a drag queen, who will later appear as a zombie, stopping by a church to drop off a donation before meeting up with an app hookup. One thing leads to another, and she ends up bitten by her almost hookup, whom we never met until that moment. As soon as the scene cuts, we’re onto a different kind of fun that cross-cuts between a drag performance and one of our primary characters, named Sam (Jaquel Spivey). Sam works at the local hospital, but misses doing drag. 

Community becomes more important than ever when zombies arise.

While the film is full of laughs, it also has a nice beating heart at its very center. The idea of queer people coming together to battle a deadly force like zombies is actually touching to watch. Instead of Queens of the Dead focusing on one singular character, we’re following the journeys of a few of them. Two of the primary focuses are on Sam, a former drag queen who is scared to get back on stage. And Dre (Katy O’ Brian), a club worker who is trying her best and doesn’t entirely have her life together. 

Rather than showing us characters who are put together and without any visible flaws, nearly every character is struggling with something. The films depict different queer folks trying to navigate the world as best they can.
Whether they’re an elder queer drag queen, younger queer queens of color, club workers, or otherwise. 
Still, a few of the extra characters could’ve been cut, and it wouldn’t affect the film. But in the end, it’s not that big of a deal because this happens a lot with ensemble casts. 

Romero’s understanding of queer club life, as a queer person and DJ herself, shines through in the film. The authenticity isn’t something you can manufacture out of nowhere. And that’s what makes queer horror films made by queer people extra special. We can see the real and lived experiences come through in the characters, especially these folks who are having to band together to fight zombies. Queens of the Dead isn’t just about the stylish and slow zombies; it’s also about community and joining together to survive. 

Unapologetically queer, the story takes us on a journey with several characters and their struggles.

Throughout the film, we see various interactions, some of which involve Barry (Quincy Dunn-Baker), who is also Dre’s brother-in-law. Their relationship is fraught because he’s ignorant when it comes to queer folks, despite how his sister is queer. The inclusion of this relationship is actually important, as being in 2025 doesn’t mean everyone is accepting of folks within the queer community. People like Barry are actually more vocal than ever before. But unlike those people, Barry seems to have slowly changed by the end of Queens of the Dead. 

As Queens of the Dead progresses, and we begin losing characters in various ways, it’ll remind you that the zombie subgenre means that almost nobody is safe. It doesn’t matter how much we love these characters or long for their survival in the zombie apocalypse. Casualties are going to happen, and they’ll hit quite hard when they do. Every loss impacts our core group of folks, but they still keep fighting.

For the queer folks in the film, that’s just the reality of many people’s lives. Survival and holding tight to community if they actually show up when times are incredibly hard (or when a zombie apocalypse is happening). Just like any horror film out there, there’s social commentary folded into the film. And by the end of the film, you’ll be smiling because it wasn’t just one queer person to survive this time around. 

Katy O’Brien and Jaquel Spivey are real standouts in Queens of the Dead.

Aside from the themes, Queens of the Dead revels in its special and practical effects throughout the runtime. The zombies have a distinct look to them, and Romero takes a lot of influence from her father in the way the zombies aren’t quick-moving.

Other than the zombies and their memorable-looking make-up, the style of the other characters is top-notch. Considering real-life queer drag queens were cast, the confidence comes out naturally through their performances. The other queer actors also did a stellar job, and several performances are worthy of applause, such as those by Katy O’Brien and Jaquel Spivey. 

In terms of the overall appeal of the film, it’ll especially appeal to queer viewers, for obvious reasons. But even if you don’t belong to the community in any capacity, you’ll likely still find this an enjoyable time. The horror is fun, there are a few bloody moments and action sequences. 

Queens of the Dead is worth throwing on at any point in the year. Romero has already cemented herself in the horror world, not just because of her father’s legacy, but also due to her clear love for the genre she’s creating. 

Queens of the Dead will release in theaters on October 24, 2025.