Queens of the Dead: zombie movie from George A. Romero’s daughter secures North American distribution
Back in 1968, George A. Romero made his feature directorial debut with one of the greatest horror movies ever made, Night of the Living Dead – and while doing so, he also introduced the world to flesh-eating ghouls that became a new definition for the world “zombie.” Romero, who passed away in 2017, went on to make several more zombie movies over the decades… and recently, his daughter Tina Romero revealed that she’s making her own feature directorial debut with a zombie movie called Queens of the Dead. That movie had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last month – and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film there! Now, Deadline reports that it has secured North American distribution through Independent Film Company (formerly IFC) and the Shudder streaming service. A specific release date has not yet been announced, but Independent Film Company has let it be known that they will be giving Queens of the Dead a theatrical release sometime this fall.
Romero previously told Fangoria that the screenplay she wrote with novelist and comedian Erin Judge “takes place over one night, at the beginning of the dead rising. We find ourselves at a big warehouse party in Bushwick. We’ve got a party promoter for whom everything’s going wrong, and her lead act has dropped out, so she needs to call upon a friend — a retired drag queen — to resurrect his drag, to come and save the night. And it turns out to be a night of many resurrections. And our motley crew of characters find themselves holed up in a Bushwick nightclub, having to decide ‘do we get out of here or do we board the place up?’ And they’ve got to survive the night. It’s about a group of non-fighters finding the survival skills deep within.“
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 Renée Wilson (Black Panther), Dominique Jackson (Pose), Riki Lindhome (Knives Out), Eve Lindley (Bros), and drag artist Julie J star in the film. Romero previously provided the following statement: “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.“ George A. Romero’s frequent collaborator Tom Savini and Gaylen Ross of Dawn of the Dead also make appearances.
Vanishing Angle’s Matthew Lee Miller and Natalie Metzger produced the film.
Romero had this to say about the distribution deal: “Independent Film Company and Shudder couldn’t be a more perfect home for Queens of the Dead. I’m honored to partner with such a kickass and creative team of people who really love movies, and I’m so grateful for their belief in giving indie darlings a moment on the big screen because I think this is a film people will want to see together. With popcorn. Dressed in zombie couture.” Independent Film Company and Shudder’s Director of Acquisitions and Productions, Adam Koehler, added: “We’re beyond thrilled to bring this wildly original vision to audiences — a fearless, glam-drenched ride that’s as funny as it is ferocious. With razor-sharp direction and a fierce cast, Queens of the Dead is a thrilling new chapter in a legacy of horror royalty.“
Are you interested in Queens of the Dead, and are you glad to hear that it has secured a distribution deal with Independent Film Company and Shudder? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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