Jaquel Spivey, Katy O’Brian, Margaret Cho, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Cheyenne Jackson & More To Star In Tina Romero Zombie Pic ‘Queens Of The Dead’
EXCLUSIVE: Jaquel Spivey (Mean Girls), Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Margaret Cho (Fire Island), Brigette Lundy-Paine (I Saw The TV Glow) and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) are among those set to star in Queens of the Dead, a new horror comedy directed by Tina Romero, daughter of legendary director George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead).
Co-written by Erin Judge & Tina Romero, the film pays tribute to the zombies from the elder Romero’s classic zombie films with a fresh, contemporary, and queer twist, promising to offer a genre-smashing, glam-gore thrill ride through the zombie apocalypse. The story 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.
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Others featuring in the cast of the film from Vanishing Angle include Nina West (Rupaul’s Drag Race), Tomas Matos (Fire Island), Quincy Dunn-Baker (No Hard Feelings), Becca Blackwell (Bros), Shaunette Renée Wilson (Black Panther), Dominique Jackson (Pose), Riki Lindhome (Knives Out), and Eve Lindley (Bros).
George A. Romero, often referred to as the “Godfather of Zombies,” revolutionized the horror genre with his groundbreaking films Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, with his work influencing countless filmmakers and becoming a cornerstone of modern horror. While it’s unclear if the project is still active, Romero’s influence is clearly highlighted by MGM’s 2022 move to acquired rights to a new Night of the Living Dead sequel, with Nanny‘s Nikyatu Jusu coming aboard to direct.
Following George’s 2017 passing, Tina Romero looks to carry the torch with a talent-rich film loaded with practical effects, jump scares, laughs, and lumbering zombies amassing on the streets of Brooklyn. Given its focus on the historically disenfranchised LGBTQ+ population, the film should fit in naturally with George A. Romero’s oeuvre, which used a zombie apocalypse to examine social injustice, among many other themes.
Vanishing Angle’s Matthew Lee Miller and Natalie Metzger will serve as the film’s producers. The film is financed by Creativity Capital.
In a statement on the project, Tina Romero said, “This is the cast of my wildest dreams. In a movie about survival, you gotta love and root for the survival crew. Every single person in this ensemble brings such a special and specific flavor -both on and off screen. The result is truly a magic sauce.”
Stated Miller of Vanishing Angle, “As soon as we started casting, we knew we needed a team that could deliver on the film’s bold, eclectic vision. This cast exceeds our wildest expectations. Their combined talent and chemistry are electrifying. Tina’s vision is a game-changer, and we believe this ensemble will create something truly unforgettable, honoring the Romero legacy while pushing the boundaries of the genre.”
Miller’s fellow producer Metzger added, “I’ve been obsessed with this script and Tina’s vision from the moment that I read it. It’s so incredibly fun and unique. This film is not just a continuation of the Romero legacy but a fresh take that is sure to captivate a new generation of horror fans.”
Prior to Queens of the Dead, Spivey found his first major film role in Paramount’s musical adaptation of Mean Girls, which had him playing Damian Hubbard, best friend of Auli’i Cravalho’s Janis. The new film marks his first lead role.
Breaking out with her starring turn opposite Kristen Stewart in A24’s Love Lies Bleeding, O’Brian has also previously been seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as well as series like The Mandalorian, Black Lightning and the zombie-focused Z Nation. Part of the cast of Universal’s Twisters, out July 19, she’s also been tapped for an undisclosed role in Mission: Impossible 8, as we were first to report.
An Emmy-nominated actress and comedian, Cho has previously been seen in films like Prom Pact, Cora Bora, Fire Island and Good on Paper, among others. Notable TV credits include Drop Dead Diva and All-American Girl.
Most recently seen starring in A24’s I Saw the TV Glow, Lundy-Paine has previously held roles in films like Bill & Ted Face the Music, Bombshell, Downsizing and The Glass Castle. She also starred opposite Keir Gilchrist, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Rapaport on Netflix’s coming-of-age series Atypical, which ran for four seasons.
Film credits for Jackson include the upcoming Borderlands, Love Is Strange, Behind the Candelabra and United 93, among others. A regular on FX’s American Horror Story, Jackson also starred on Fox’s sitcom Call Me Kat for three seasons.
Romero is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker whose short films (Little Girl Blue and Rainbowarrior) and music videos have featured internationally at the Melbourne Film Festival, the Winnipeg Magical Feminism Exhibition, and the Accolade Global Film Competition. Her feature script, The Lost Girls, was a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriter’s Lab. Tina’s greatest influence, in film and in life, is her father, George A. Romero. Thus, she also serves as Vice President of the GARF Foundation, honoring his work and his legacy.
Vanishing Angle’s recent releases include the Yogi Berra documentary It Ain’t Over, released by Sony Pictures Classics, and Werewolves Within and The Beta Test on Hulu. Their Tribeca title The Secret Art of Human Flight also had a theatrical release this July.
Spivey is represented by Gersh and Brookside Artist Management; O’Brian by Gersh, Luber Roklin Entertainment, RCM Talent & Management, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes; Cho by WME, manager Sarah J. Martin, and Fox Rothschild; Lundy-Paine by Gersh; Jackson by Avalon Management; West by Clear Talent Group and The Benedetti Group; Jackson by Gersh, Entertainment 360, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols; Matos by Clear Talent Group and 3 Arts Entertainment; Dunn-Baker by Buchwald and TMT Entertainment Group; Blackwell by Bohemia Group, Heroes and Villains Entertainment, and Myman Greenspan Fox; Wilson by CAA, Anonymous Content, and Fox Rothschild; Lindhome by 3 Arts Entertainment, Kraft-Engel Management, and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis; Lindley by Station 3 and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; and Romero by Gersh and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.
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