Queens of the Dead (Tribeca 2025) Film Review & Summary

Queens of the Dead, produced by Shudder and in line with their brand, is everything you’d expect it to be and more.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on Hours Updated on

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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“Queens of the Dead” Film Details

  • Released On: In Theaters
  • Public Release Date: June 7, 2025
  • Director(s): Tina Romero
  • Writer(s): Tina Romero, Erin Judge
  • Primary Language: English
  • Genre(s): Comedy, Horror, LGBT+
  • Rating: Not Rated

Summary

It’s Easter, and Dre (Katy O’Brian) is trying to have a top-tier party in Brooklyn featuring the hottest acts around – Yasmine (Dominique Jackson). However, with Dre offering stable work for small pay, issues arise with their booked talent. Luckily, their wife, Lizzie (Riki Lindhome), has a solution – Sam (Jaquel Spivey), with their Beyoncé drag.

Now, before, this would be perfect, for Sam’s house mom, Ginsey (Nina West), works with Dre. But Sam switching careers and flaking at an inopportune moment has caused bad blood between them and Dre. But with a burgeoning zombie apocalypse, as always, while the community may fight in the calm moments, when the s*** hits the fan, all is set aside to come together.

What To Expect In “Queens of the Dead” (Not Rated) – Content Overview

  • Dialog:
    • Cursing: Throughout
  • Violence:
    • Gore/ Blood/ Body Horror: Bleeding, Depiction of Open Wounds, Notable Disfigurement
    • Notable Violence: Intense Fight Scenes
  • Sexual Content:
    • Innuendo: Yes
  • Miscellaneous:
    • Drinking: Yes
    • Drug Use: Recreational
    • Vomiting: Yes
    • Smoking: Yes
    • Jump Scares: Sporadic
    • Vermin: Mice
    • Could This Make You Cry: Yes (Extent: Single Tear)

Links

Review and Commentary

Highlight(s)

The Comedy [83/100]

Yasmine (Dominique Jackson) and Niko (Tomas Matos) scared and having a drink in Queens of the Dead
Yasmine (Dominique Jackson) and Niko (Tomas Matos) – Queens of the Dead

As the title implies, these are the Queens of the gay community, meaning knowing how to read, throw shade, and have a quick quip ready at all times is not only a skill, it is an art form and birthright. So, whether it is talking about age, looks, intelligence, or how characters generally express themselves, it is all done with a flair for the dramatics, which makes death scenes as comical as those when people are fighting for their lives.

Now, a little more than a week removed from watching this, I’ll admit, there wasn’t that one catchy line that stood out; however, I will say Niko (Tomas Matos) made several attempts at stealing the movie, and others were barely able to get it back from them.

Admirable Attempts At Having Heart [81/100]

Will Queens of the Dead make you cry? Probably not. However, as much as it is committed to levity and horror, through a queer lens, it doesn’t mean it is all jokes. There are life-and-death moments that remind viewers that, as troubled as some relationships are, they are part of the same community. Sam and Dre, for example, may have problems due to Sam’s inconsistency, but Sam works under Dre’s wife, and their drag career began and abruptly ended at one of Sam’s parties, so there is a history there.

Add in Ginsey working for Dre, being Sam’s House Mother, and all they taught them in drag, and their relationship? It really does push Queens of the Dead to be more than a bunch of one-liners and bickering, and ultimately a reminder that, because, in many ways, everyone is so interconnected, like family, they are bound to fight, make up, and fight again until death do they part.

The Power of Controlling Your Name, Pronouns, and Narrative [83.5/100]

From Niko to Sam, to one of Niko’s best friends who is non-binary, there is a push to recognize the rebirth of a person, whether it is physical or just through their persona and choices. It’s one of the more serious parts of Queen of the Dead, and perhaps the most complex as you are pushed to understand, as much as this film is about having a good time and entertaining its audience, it doesn’t want to leave behind the real lives of those who look like members of, or are, part of the cast.

It wants to address losing queer spaces, that are run by queer people. Through Lizzie’s brother, it is made clear that tolerance is not acceptance, and tolerance cannot be the line of expectation. Then there is the recognition of ageism within the community and just a plethora of things which may not be focused on in such a way to bring the film into drama territory, but they are scattered throughout. All in an effort to remind you, not everything is fun and games. Yes, the zombie apocalypse is an issue, but it isn’t the sole issue any of these characters has to worry about.

Overall

Our Rating (82/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)

Queens of the Dead delivers a vibrant mix of comedy and camp, celebrating queer culture with sharp humor, over-the-top personalities, and a glazing of heart. But while the film leans heavily into laughs—especially through standout performances like Tomas Matos as Niko—it also weaves in commentary on identity, chosen family, and the importance of queer spaces.

Now, though not likely to bring you to tears, it does do what horror does best, in using the blood, the guts, and scares to bring people in, before getting to the real fears and societal issues people have, and calling it out by name. Thus giving viewers a community-focused story with layers beneath the glitter, making Queens of the Dead more than just another horror comedy.

What To Check Out Next

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Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been reviewing media since 2010. He approaches each production with hope, rooting for every story to succeed, and believes criticism should come from unmet potential, while praise is reserved for work that meets or exceeds expectations.