The Romero family has shaken up the zombie genre again, with Tina Romero taking her father’s original and groundbreaking Night Of The Living Dead and giving it a fresh, unique twist in Queens of the Dead. Bathed in queer culture and camp goodness, Tina has maintained the Romero brand by commenting on oppression in her father’s films, but pivots the focus to something modern.

Tina takes the beloved Romero zombie and revitalises it, making these zombies serve full glam before going in for the kill. The Romero zombie has always represented the effect of brainwashed masses and what the outcome of that can be; the same is reflected here: LGBTQ issues and toxic social media/influencer culture are explored. You find influencers using queer people to bolster their social media presence, as well as issues with homo- and transphobia. You also see zombies on the attack be snapped back to their phones when their favourite creator livestreams – completely subdued from their desire to kill and instead go to the next hip social event. It’s an incredibly interesting glimpse into the issues currently being experienced in both the queer community and the wider world of social media presence.

Queens of the Dead boasts some great performances, and gives the stage to queer actors like Katy O’Brian and Jaquel Spivey. Though we believe they could’ve gone a bit further with it, it showcases some great kills and gore. If you’re a Romero fan, you will spot all of the carefully thought-out Easter eggs, cameos, and quotes that we all know and love. Tina Romero has hit all of the marks with this debut, it’s fresh and campy as hell. Ultimately, a great entry into the zombie genre.

QUEENS OF THE DEAD screened as part of The Final Girls Berlin Film Festival 2026.