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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...

Tina Romero, the daughter of late horror master George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), makes her own mark on the zombie genre with Queens of the Dead, and Deadline reports this morning that the film has been acquired by Independent Film Company and Shudder.

Here in North America, Queens of the Dead will shamble into theaters in Fall 2025.

Shudder’s Director of Acquisitions and Productions, Adam Koehler, said in a statement, “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.”

“The zombie apocalypse is such a rich sandbox to play in when it comes to social commentary. I can’t be my dad’s daughter without making an attempt at saying something with zombies,...

Exclusive: Independent Film Company (formerly IFC) and Shudder have acquired North American rights to the horror comedy Queens of the Dead from filmmaker Tina Romero, daughter of legendary “Godfather of Zombies” George A. Romero.

Paying tribute to the zombies from the elder Romero’s classic zombie films with a fresh, contemporary and queer twist, the film will be released in theaters this fall, after winning the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film in its Tribeca world premiere.

In Romero’s debut feature co-written with comedian Erin Judge, on which we were first to report last July, a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn on the night of a giant warehouse party, where an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies must put aside their drama and use their unique skills to fight against the brain-thirsty, scrolling undead.

The film’s ensemble includes Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Jaquel Spivey...

Just when you think the zombie genre has exhausted every possible permutation, a film like Queens of the Dead struts in, covered in glitter and gore, to prove you wrong. This is the feature debut from Tina Romero, and yes, that name carries weight. But while she works in the sandbox her father George A. Romero built, she is building a very different kind of castle.

This film trades bleak social dread for backstage bedlam, setting its story in a struggling drag club on the precipice of a make-or-break show. The curtain is about to rise when the world outside ends, trapping a motley crew of performers inside with their wits, their fabulousness, and an invading horde of the undead. It’s a comedy-forward horror movie that understands survival is a performance in itself.

The Ensemble in the Spotlight

A film set almost entirely in one location lives or dies by its characters,...

Few films can coast on good intentions alone, but low-budget zombie romp “Queens of the Dead” comes close. Directed by Tina Romero, the delightful feature debut is a horror comedy chock-full of fun and meaningful ideas, most of which stop just short of fruition. Romero is notably the daughter of zombie movie progenitor George A. Romero (of “Night of the Living Dead” fame), and she channels her father’s decades-long fascination with undead ghouls as cinematic symbols for society at large. By filtering familiar hallmarks through a distinctly queer story set at a drag show gone awry, she channels the genre’s uglier, edgier leanings into a glamorous farce with a beating heart.

“Queens of the Dead” is the kind of movie that requires going with the flow — not by turning your brain off, but by keeping it especially sharp while sidelining expectations of refinement. Its aesthetic approach seldom lives...

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 is set to have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 7th – and with that date just around the corner, Entertainment Weekly has unveiled a few images! You can check them out at the bottom of this article.

Romero previously told Fangoria that the screenplay she wrote with novelist and comedian Erin Judge “takes place over one night, at...

Tina Romero, the daughter of late horror master George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), is making her own mark on the zombie genre with Queens of the Dead, and Entertainment Weekly has provided us with some fresh images and insights this week.

Queens of the Dead premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival this month.

“The zombie apocalypse is such a rich sandbox to play in when it comes to social commentary. I can’t be my dad’s daughter without making an attempt at saying something with zombies,” Romero tells EW. “I did want this to be a film in which I am paying homage to the world and the monster he created, but I’m also introducing my own voice.”

Romero continues, “It’s very much not a film he would make, but it is using his vocabulary and is playing by his rules. As far as the queer element,...

There are certain performances audiences need to see to believe, especially when it comes to the ones on the HBO series “Fantasmas,” from creator, director, and star Julio Torres. For instance, how can one properly describe Steve Buscemi playing the letter “Q,” or Oscar winner Tilda Swinton being the voice of water?

IndieWire has exclusively learned that the current Gotham TV Awards nominee will be submitting for several Emmys categories, including the Outstanding Scripted Variety Series. The actors on “Fantasmas,” however, will still be among the Comedy Series contenders, similar to “Saturday Night Live,” which Torres used to write for. They include Torres for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, breakout star Martine for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and “Fire Island” star Tomás Matos for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

All three performers are part of the connective tissue of the series, which is...

Director Andrew Ahn has confirmed that the idea of a sequel to Fire Island remains active in conversations, though no formal development has taken place. The 2022 romantic comedy, set on the LGBTQ vacation destination and loosely inspired by Pride and Prejudice, drew attention for its ensemble cast and contemporary adaptation.

“There’s always been conversation about doing a sequel,” Ahn told Entertainment Weekly. “I don’t know if a real concrete idea has been formed yet, but there are things in the ether.”

Written by and starring Joel Kim Booster, Fire Island follows a group of close friends over one week during their annual trip. Booster plays Noah, who focuses on helping his friend Howie (Bowen Yang) connect with Charlie (James Scully), while resisting his own complicated feelings for Will (Conrad Ricamora). The cast includes Margaret Cho, Zane Phillips, Matt Rogers, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, and Nick Adams.

The group...

With another summer just around the corner, another ferry to Fire Island could be on the horizon.

Director Andrew Ahn recently revealed there’s “always been conversation about doing a sequel” to his 2022 gay romantic-comedy, which is set at the titular LGBTQ getaway and is loosely inspired by Jane Austen‘s Pride & Prejudice.

“I don’t know if a real concrete idea has been formed yet, but there are things in the ether,” he told Entertainment Weekly.

Ahn noted that writer and star Joel Kim Booster “always jokes that it’s going to be like the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That, where it’s 30 years later and they’re older and gayer. … We’ll see what happens.”

The movie stars Booster as Noah, who enjoys one final trip with his friends to Fire Island while trying to help his best friend Howie (Bowen Yang) hook...

The Tribeca Film Fest 2025, presented by Okx, announced its full lineup of feature narrative, documentary, and animated films today. This year’s Festival, which takes place June 4-15 in New York City showcases the best emerging talent from across the globe alongside established names.

Of particular interest to horror fans may be the New York premiere of Predator: Killer of Killers. Also noteworthy is Tina Romero’s Queens of the Dead, in which George A. Romero’s daughter pays tribute to his brand of zombie cinema with a “fresh, contemporary, and queer twist.” Prolific filmmaker Takashi Miike is also back with his latest, the thriller Sham.

Read on for the genre titles scheduled to premiere at Tribeca:

Escape From Tribeca

The most exciting cult movies from our galaxy: present, past, and future. Far-out premieres and nerve-shredding classics along with giveaways, prizes and fan-focused fun. Escape the ordinary and embrace the psychotronic!

The first image from Queens of the Dead has been unveiled. The upcoming zombie comedy is the debut feature from Tina Romero, the daughter of legendary horror director George A. Romero, who shaped the modern zombie genre with movies such as 1968's Night of the Living Dead and 1978's Dawn of the Dead. Set during a zombie outbreak at a drag show in Brooklyn, the new movie - which Romero co-wrote with Erin Judge - features a robust ensemble cast that includes Riki Lindhome, Eve Lindley, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Dominique Jackson, Shaunette Rene Wilson, Cheyenne Jackson, and Margaret Cho.

Deadline recently shared the first image from Queens of the Dead. It reveals quite a few members of the cast in costume, reacting with horror to something that they are looking at. The gathered crowd includes the characters played by Katy O'Brian, Jaquel Spivey (Mean Girls 2024), Dominique Jackson (Pose), and Tomas Matos...

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. Deadline reports that Charades has acquired the international sales rights to the project – and while doing so, they unveiled the first image from the film! You can check it out in this article.

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...

Daughter of late director George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), Tina Romero is making her own mark on the zombie genre with Queens of the Dead, and Deadline shares a first look image this week. Deadline also notes, “Charades has acquired international sales rights.”

Being directed by Tina Romero, the upcoming Queens of the Dead is said to pay tribute to George A. Romero’s brand of zombie cinema with a “fresh, contemporary, and queer twist.”

Stay tuned for U.S. release information.

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 set to star.

“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.

Exclusive: Charades has acquired international sales rights to glam gore zombie comedy Queens of the Dead by Tina Romero, daughter of legendary director George A. Romero, ahead of the AFM.

The cast, revealed by Deadline earlier this year, features 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).

Co-written by Erin Judge and Romero, the movie follows a group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies who must put aside their personal dramas and use their unique skills to fight the brain-thirsty undead when a zombie apocalypse breaks out on the night of a giant warehouse party.

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...

“Fantasmas” is a new six-episode comedy series, written and directed by Julio Torres, starring Torres, Martine Gutierrez, Tomas Matos and Joe Rumrill, plus guest stars including Steve Buscemi, Paul Dano, Julia Fox, Alexa Demie, Emma Stone, Dylan O’Brien, Aidy Bryant, Bowen Yang and Kim Petras, now streaming on Max:

“…Julio Torres spins a fantastical six-part tale of when he lost a gold oyster earring.

“In his search to find the precious object, Julio reflects on the offbeat characters he encounters in introspective, often eerie…

“…and always comedic vignettes set in a dreamy, alternate version of New York City…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Tina Romero, the daughter of late film director George A. Romero, has set her next project. It's a horror comedy titled Queens of the Dead, and Love Lies Bleeding's Katy O’Brian and many other talented actors are set to star.

Described as a queer zombie film, Romero helms Queens of the Dead from a screenplay she co-wrote with Erin Judge. In addition, Vanishing Angle is the film production company behind the movie, and Creativity Capital is financing it.

The film's plot revolves around a group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies who are forced to put their differences aside and band together to survive a zombie apocalypse that breaks out during their drag show in Brooklyn, New York.

Besides O'Brian, actors such as Margaret Cho (Fire Island), Brigette Lundy-Paine(I Saw The TV Glow), and Cheyenne Jackson will star in the film. Nina West (Rupaul’s Drag Race), Jaquel Spivey (Mean Girls), Tomas Matos,...

Vampiro: Rockabilly Apocalypse: "Massive Publishing, a leading publisher in the comic book direct market has partnered once again with lucha libre focused live event, merchandise, and media organization Masked Republic on the upcoming project. The two companies recently partnered on the release of another wrestling-inspired series, Luchaverse which featured some of the most iconic luchadors in the business today. Now, with Vampiro: Rockabilly Apocalypse, they are bringing a stylized action filled adventure to die hard horror enthusiasts and the legions of Vampiro fans around the globe. This horrifying first issue is a Super Sized 48-page premiere written by Michael Kingston and is set to release on October 16, 2024 but eager fans don’t have to wait till October to get their first taste of this brand new series. Massive and Masked Republic will have an exclusive ashcan preview available at this year’s San Diego Comic Con (Sdcc) available throughout the...

Earlier this year we told you about Tina Romeros Queens of the Dead, a fresh new take on the zombie genre made famous by her father, the late George A. Romero, who created the iconic Night of the Living Dead. More news on the project has come to light, as the film has assembled a star-studded cast to help bring the young Romeros vision to life in what promises to be a fun romp filled with practical effects, jump scares, and yes slow moving zombies.

Per Deadline, Queens of the Dead has lined up Katy OBrian (Love Lies Bleeding), Margaret Cho (Fire Island), Brigette Lundy-Paine (I Saw The TV Glow) and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) to star in the new picture, which is produced by Vanishing Angle, whose previous credits include the 2022 Shudder Original, Spoonful of Sugar, the 2023 sci-fi action thriller, The Park, and 2021s outrageously funny horror-comedy, Werewolves Within.

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 last month, his daughter Tina Romero revealed that she will be making her own feature directorial debut with a zombie movie called Queens of the Dead. Now Deadline is reporting that Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Brigette Lundy-Paine (Bill & Ted Face the Music), 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), and Eve Lindley...

Daughter of late director George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), Tina Romero is directing a zombie movie of her own with Queens of the Dead, Deadline reports today.

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 set to star.

Deadline details, “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.”

Nina West (Rupaul’s Drag Race), Jaquel Spivey (Mean Girls), Tomas Matos (Fire Island), Quincy Dunn-Baker (No Hard Feelings...

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.

Others featuring in the cast of the film from Vanishing...

How far would you go to regain a prized possession? The new HBO comedy “Fantasmas,” from the mind of writer, actor, and comic Julio Torres, follows a character as he searches for his lost gold oyster earring through a surreal version of New York City. The series premieres on Friday, June 7 at 11 p.m. Et on both HBO and Max. The Streamable recommends that you follow along on Julio’s colorful, eerie, and bizarre journey with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.

How to Watch ‘Fantasmas’ When: Friday, June 7, 2024 TV: HBO and Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max.com

For a limited time, get Max Free for 1 week! Offer ends June 23.

About ‘Fantasmas’

In “Fantasmas,” Julio Torres takes audiences in a surreal journey through a dream-like New York City that aims to provide meaning, purpose, and connection in our increasingly isolated world.

Looking at the bright colors, elaborate costumes and lush sets of “Fantasmas,” you would be forgiven for thinking the inspiration for Julio Torres‘ latest HBO comedy is more joyful than it actually is.

“Thinking about the world and thinking about the kinds of people I wanted to have in the show, this common thread of feeling alienated and feeling a little lonely kept coming up,” Torres told TheWrap. “I wrote down all of the stories I wanted to tell, saw the common denominator and allowed that to inform the through-line of the story and the overarching world of it.”

Torres originally sold his latest comedy in 2020. However, thanks to the “bottleneck of the pandemic” and the creator’s work on other projects such as his film “Problemista” — which he wrote and directed — the series was delayed.

“I feel like doing work in this industry feels like a burst,” Torres said.

One of the more commonly overused words in entertainment marketing is “visionary.”

Whether or not a single consumer has ever watched a film or TV show because of an unsourced studio claim that the alleged auteur behind it was a “visionary,” the frequency with which the term is applied appropriately is very low. Wanna call Wes Anderson a visionary? Sure. Even people who hate the guy can’t deny the singularity of his approach. But just as frequently it’s tossed in the direction of, say, a guy whose vision was making a commercial with Antonio Banderas as a bee who hates snot. There needs to be a more thorough “visionary” vetting process.

That being said: Julio Torres is a visionary.

The former Saturday Night Live writer’s new HBO comedy Fantasmas doesn’t exactly confirm the absurdist promise of HBO’s Los Espookys and the recent feature Problemista mostly...

HBO’s Fantasmas: Premiere Date, Storyline, Cast And Trailer. (Photo Credit – IMDb)

After Los Espookys, Julio Torres, known for working as a Saturday Night Live writer, is returning on HBO with a new comedy series. The comedian and writer is creating, writing, directing, and starring in the show Fantasmas, which showcases his searching for a golden oyster earring and meeting some eccentric characters.

Apart from the interesting premise, the show is also generating buzz due to the cameos of numerous stars who will appear in it. Here are all the details about the release date, plot, cast, and trailer of HBO’s Fantasmas.

When Does Fantasmas Premiere On HBO?

Fantasmas is set to premiere on HBO Max on Friday, June 7th, 2024. The show consists of six episodes, which are expected to follow a weekly schedule, with one new episode coming out each Friday. New episodes will air at 11 p.

"I can feel the inner lives of shapes and colors and sounds and numbers..." Wow that's strange. Max has revealed an official trailer for a wacky comedy series called Fantasmas, streaming this June. It's the latest creation of comedian / writer / actor Julio Torres, who stars in, writes, directs this series after releasing his Problemista film with A24 last year. Fantasmas translates directly to "ghosts" in Spanish, though this series is actually about a golden oyster, or dreams, or other weird things. Torres explores the peculiar world of folktales with a "fresh and unique twist on the classic tale of the lost golden oyster." Ever since he was struck by lightning as a child, he has seen the world in a different light. After experiencing weird dreams, Julio decides to embark on a journey through a surreal, alternate version of New York City. The series stars Torres with Martine Gutierrez, Tomas Matos,...

Fantasmas is coming soon to HBO. The cable network released a trailer and announced the premiere date for Julio Torres's fantastical series. HBO ordered the series in December 2022, when it was titled Little Films.

Starring Torres, Martine Gutierrez, Tomas Matos, and Joe Rumrill, the fantasy series follows a young man searching for his missing gold oyster earring in an alternate version of New York City.

Read More…...

“Fantasmas” is a new six-episode comedy series, written and directed by Julio Torres, starring Torres, Martine Gutierrez, Tomas Matos and Joe Rumrill, plus guest stars including Steve Buscemi, Paul Dano, Julia Fox, Alexa Demie, Emma Stone, Dylan O’Brien, Aidy Bryant, Bowen Yang, Kim Petras, Ziwe and a whole lot more, premiering June 7, 2024 on Max:

“…Julio Torres spins a fantastical six-part tale of when he lost a gold oyster earring.

“In his search to find the precious object, Julio reflects on the offbeat characters he encounters in introspective, often eerie…

“…and always comedic vignettes set in a dreamy, alternate version of New York City…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Julio Torres is back with more wacky adventures in the new HBO comedy series Fantasmas premiering Friday, June 7 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt. New episodes of the six-episode season will debut weekly.

Fantasmas—a title very on-brand for Torres following Los Espookys—follows the character of Julio (Torres) as he goes in search of a precious oyster earring. Across his journey, he reflects on the offbeat characters he encounters in introspective, often eerie and always comedic vignettes set in a dreamy, alternate version of New York City. The series weaves together stories of people looking for meaning, purpose and connection in an increasingly isolating world.

In addition to creating, directing, executive producing and starring in the series, Torres will be joined in the cast by Martine Gutierrez as Vanesja, Tomas Matos as Chester and Joe Rumrill as the voice of Bibo. Fans can expect guest stars aplenty including Steve Buscemi,...

Julio Torres is stepping into a very literal and gender-swapped “Girl With a Pearl Earring” rendition for HBO.

The “Los Espookys” creator is back at the network with new surreal series “Fantasmas,” which he created, directed, and stars in. The series debuted at the Atx TV Festival earlier this year.

Torres plays a fictionalized version of himself as he tries to uncover a lost gold oyster earring. In his search to find the precious object, Torres’ character Julio reflects on the offbeat folks he encounters in introspective, eerie, and comedic vignettes set in a dreamy, alternate version of New York City. The surreal series is billed as a “fantastical six-part tale” that is a “kaleidoscope of color” to “weave together stories of people looking for meaning, purpose, and connection in an increasingly isolating world.”

In addition to Torres, the cast includes Martine Gutierrez, Tomas Matos, and Joe Rumrill as the voice of Bibo.

It’s been quite a week for filmmaker Andrew Ahn.

On Wednesday, his Hulu film Fire Island earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie, and on Thursday night at the opening of Outfest he received the Lgbtqia+ festival’s Outfest Achievement Award, recognizing a body of work that includes Fire Island, Driveways (2019), and Spa Night (2016).

The festival called Ahn “a beloved member of the Outfest family” and “a champion of promoting diversity in the arts by mentoring youth filmmakers through programs like our OutSet program, among many others.”

“It’s cool,” Ahn told Deadline of the Outfest honor. “It feels a little early in my career. I legit tried to turn it down when [Outfest director of programming] Mike Dougherty emailed me about it, but they were very supportive and effusive that this was my time. I’m so thankful because Outfest was a big part of my coming of age as a filmmaker.

The 15th annual Dorian TV Awards have selected their winners with the HBO drama “Succession” taking home Best TV Drama, ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” nabbed the Best TV Comedy award and Max’s “The Other Two” won Best LGBTQ Show.

Announced Monday by Galeca: Society of Professional LGBTQ Entertainment Journalists, “Succession” star Sarah Snook won best drama performance, while Bridget Everett took home the best comedy performance award for her role on HBO’s comedy series “Somebody Somewhere” — which also won for best unsung show.

“The White Lotus” favorite Jennifer Coolidge snagged another win for her role on the HBO series in the supporting drama performance category, while “The Bear” breakout star Ayo Edebiri won for best supporting comedy performance.

Also Read:

‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Lead Nominees at 2023 Galeca: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Dorian TV Awards

HBO and Max ended up nabbing 18 wins overall, including best...

When Joel Kim Booster first set out to write what would become “Fire Island,” he knew he wanted to write about the nearly decade long friendship he’s had with his co-star Bowen Yang. The two were connected by a mutual friend shortly after Booster moved to New York. “They couched it though in, ‘You know, there’s this other gay Asian comedian that you should know.’ Because that’s how it was presented to us, we were both sort of hesitant to meet because we didn’t want that person to be right,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video interview above).

But when the two did actually meet, the pair had an instant connection that came from shared experiences coming from marginalized communities. “It was very immediately apparent to both of us that we needed each other to a certain extent and we...

“Fire Island” could be on its way to getting some major Emmys recognition in the category for Best TV Movie. But if Emmy voters are willing to give the Hulu original some appreciation in that race, they should also be open to do it for other aspects of the movie, especially for Bowen Yang’s fantastic performance in Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actor.

Yang portrays Howie, the best friend of the main character, Noah. He travels from San Francisco every year to join Noah and their friends for a week-long vacation on the titular island that has been a long-time staple of New York’s gay culture. Despite being 30, Howie has never been in a relationship and, unlike most of his other friends, hopes to find romance despite lacking confidence in himself. Things start looking up for him when he meets a hot pediatrician named Charlie (James Scully).

See‘Fire...

A year ago Monday, Dylan Mulvaney came out as a trans woman and began chronicling her journey on TikTok with her “Days of Girlhood” series.

To celebrate her one-year anniversary, Mulvaney hosted a cabaret show, “Dylan Mulvaney’s Day 365 Live!,” at the iconic Rainbow Room in New York. Before the show, she spoke with Variety on the red carpet about what she’s learned from her very public and unexpected journey.

“It was such an accident, but a very happy one,” Mulvaney told Variety on Monday night. “Going in, I had no idea just how vulnerable I would get and how much I had to learn about womanhood.”

The 80-minute variety show began with a pre-recorded clip of Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) comforting Mulvaney in her dressing room. From there, Mulvaney eagerly entered from the balcony at the back of the Rainbow Room and sang a series of Kate Bush covers.

As 2022 wraps up, the end of the year presents an opportunity to look back on how LGBTQ representation fared on the big screen. According to GLAAD’s 10th Annual Studio Responsibility Index, the percentage of LGBTQ-inclusive films (as well as racial diversity and screen time for queer characters) dipped in 2021.

While this year’s official report has yet to be released, it appears to have recovered some ground. From theaters to streamers, it’s been an impressive year for LGBTQ flicks, from joyful summer rom-coms “Bros” and “Fire Island” to sobering dramas like “My Policeman” and “The Inspection.” That includes some of the most talked-about titles of awards season – “The Whale,” “Tár”, and “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” to name a few.

If you’re looking for your next themed binge of the holiday break, read on for the 11 best LGBTQ movies of 2022.

Also Read:

LGBTQ Representation in Hollywood Movies...

With the fall festivals behind us and Oscar nominations just around the corner, award season is officially in full swing. But for many, the official kickoff to the season will always be the Gotham Awards. One of the biggest early showcases for the year’s top independent films, the Gotham Awards are set to take place tonight at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. While only films with a budget under 35 million are eligible, the event is a key battleground for smaller films hoping to separate themselves from the field in their quest for Oscar gold.

If you’re interested in following the action from home, the event will be streamed live on YouTube beginning with red carpet coverage at 6 p.m. E.T. and the awards ceremony beginning at 7pm E.T. You can watch the stream here or in the video below courtesy of Variety.

The competition will be fierce,...

“Fire Island,” Hulu’s LGBTQ+ ensemble dramedy from writer and star Joel Kim Booster and director Andrew Ahn, will be recognized at the 32nd annual Gotham Awards with its Ensemble Tribute.

In addition to Booster, the acclaimed Searchlight Pictures release co-stars “Saturday Night Live” Emmy nominee Bowen Yang alongside Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomás Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams, Zane Phillips and Margaret Cho. The feature is inspired by Jane Austen’s classic text, “Pride and Prejudice,” and follows a group of friends through what may be their last summer together on the titular queer destination.

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‘The Fabelmans’ Wins Audience Award at Toronto Film Festival

Of “Fire Island,” Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute Jeffrey Sharp, said in a statement: “Beyond delivering a wildly hilarious queer romantic comedy, Fire Island beautifully expresses the concept of found family. The remarkably funny cast truly feels...

Searchlight Pictures’ “Fire Island” will receive The Gotham Film & Media Institute’s ensemble tribute during the 32nd annual Gotham Awards ceremony, Variety has learned exclusively.

The announcement comes during the Gotham Week, which concludes Sept. 23 in Brooklyn.

The “Fire Island” cast includes Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomás Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams, Zane Phillips and Margaret Cho.

Directed by Andrew Ahn and written by Booster, the LGBTQ romantic comedy follows best friends Noah (Booster) and Howie (Yang) as they embark on a summer adventure with their eclectic group of friends to Fire Island Pines. Inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the film explores queerness through a diverse, multicultural lens.

“Beyond delivering a wildly hilarious queer romantic comedy, ‘Fire Island’ beautifully expresses the concept of found family,” Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”

Betty Gilpin is in the desert. She’s there filming “Mrs. Davis,” Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez’s Peacock drama series, but doesn’t give a specific location — “We’re shooting in the middle of nowhere,” she says — because the project is still mostly under wraps.

Gilpin does share that playing a nun on the show has been quite uncomfortable. “The costume designer is very much British and put me in a wool habit, and we are shooting in the absolute desert, and it’s so hot,” Gilpin tells me on this week’s “Just for Variety” podcast. “I don’t know how these nuns do it. I hope that when they’re at the convent and they have no visitors, they’re like, ‘Should we just wear boxers today?’ Because this is insane.”

Gilpin then teases about the series, “It’s so weird.

Instagram is such a timesuck. But it pretty. So, would you rather...

Tomás Matos (Fire Island) is always serving lewks• Sing in the car w/ Billy Magnussen and friends?

• Get the message from Chris Meloni?

• Lift weights alongside Orlando Bloom?

• Visit Anguilla with Giancarlo Esposito?

• Literally hang around on a photoshoot w/ Yoo Ah-in?

• Wake up with Lil Nas X?

• Have an ice plunge bath w/ Stephen Amell?

• See Zion National Park w/ Charles Melton?

• Feel the gratitude like Austin Butler?

• Read voraciously w/ Daniel K Isaac?

• Serve lewks with Tomás Matos?

• Cozy up to a bunny (and) Anders Danielsen Lie?

• Walk the runway w/ Jordan Firstman?

• Do a charcoal face mask like Luke Evans?

• Joke around in the fx makeup chair w/ Dacre Montgomery?

• Get some sun and "restore" like Colman Domingo?

Which will it be? Pictures are after the jump to help you decide...

Doing press for “Fire Island” has been quite an emotional experience for James Scully, who plays Bowen Yang’s love interest in director Andrew Ahn’s new queer rom-com written by and starring Joel Kim Booster.

“I have had these out of body moments where I’m like, remember when you thought you were going to have to pretend to be straight your whole life?” Scully tells me. “Remember when you thought that you were just going to have to find a really patient woman and marry her and just do the best that you could to make it work?”

“Fire Island” is an LGBTQ take on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” The all-queer cast also includes Matt Rogers, Margaret Cho, Conrad Ricamora, Tomás Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams and Zane Phillips. It takes place in the titular getaway, a vacation spot outside of New York City that has...

Matt Rogers got to live the dream in the summer of 2021. That's when he and two of his very best friends - Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang - brought to life the script for "Fire Island," written by Booster and inspired by their real-life adventures. "I live under a lucky star," he tells Popsugar. "Seriously."

"When you're doing a movie that is about friendship and that is about chosen family, to be there with your literal sisters does a lot of the work," he explains. " I think we're good performers, but I also think we're great friends."

For "Fire Island," Booster mapped the plot of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" on a group of gay friends spending a week on Fire Island. The area is a historic gay vacation getaway on Long Island, partially because, for decades, it gave LGBTQ+ people a place to socialize outside of the eyes of straight society.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Noah (Joel Kim Booster) and his circle of friends, in possession of an amazing house on Fire Island, consider their annual week together in the New York summer hotspot to be something sacred. To be fair, it’s not their house per se — it belongs to Erin (the majestic Margaret Cho!), a nurturing mother figure who bought the place using her lawsuit-settlement winnings and has hosted this gaggle of twentysomethings for ages. But all of these young, queer men consider this their collective home away from home.

(From L-r): Margaret Cho, Tomas Matos, Bowen Yang, Joel Kim Booster, and Matt Rogers in the film Fire Island. Photo by Jeong Park. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

Hey, what’s that in the rear-view mirror? Silly, it’s Memorial day, which means that it’s high time you planned your summer “vacay” getaway. And though many folks travel solo, why not be part of an annual tradition with longtime friends? How does a tropical island sound for a locale? Well, this new flick can certainly provide the latter, but the former…well….This destination is pretty darn close to Long Island which isn’t that far from Manhatten Island and…a big sprawling urban center with no palm trees in sight. Oh, and since June is Pride Month, this spot is the big warm weather mecca for the LGBTQ set. Oh, did I say warm?...

Fire Island, the infamous location for gay men in NYC, provides lots of drama, romance, and comedy.

The movie, written by star Joel Kim Booster and directed by Andrew Ahn (who directed an episode of MacGyver), chronicles Noah (Booster) and his friends' yearly trip to the pines.

Antics ensue, along with some truly heartfelt moments.

Noah and his friends find themselves getting into the usual Fire Island shenanigans, but the movie takes unexpected emotional turns.

The movie also discusses many issues within the LGBTQ+ community.

Fire Island stars Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang (SNL), Margaret Cho, Conrad Ricorma (How to Get Away With Murder), James Scully (You), Matt Rogers (I Love That For You), Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams, and Zane Phillips (Legacies).

Noah (Booster) and Howie (Yang) have been friends for a while, and Noah's one goal on this trip: get Howie laid.

The movie focuses on the friendship between the entire group,...

Though Jane Austen only wrote one of them, there are actually a few truths universally acknowledged: That a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, and girls just wanna have fun. To the elite group of authors of pithy maxims, Jane Austen and Cyndi Lauper, we may add a third ingenious scribe: Joel Kim Booster.

The stand-up comedian makes a splashy debut as both a formidable literary force and an appealing leading man in “Fire Island,” his first feature film as screenwriter, and hopefully the first of many. Though the vision was all Booster’s, the love that went into “Fire Island” emanates from every player.

A true ensemble piece, the movie is filled with the joy and camaraderie of that cheesiest of queer epithets — chosen family. But under the Day-Glo sheen of the carless beach town filled with glistening shirtless queers,...

While queer comedians have been the hottest thing in stand-up for the last decade, it’s no secret that Hollywood is always the last one to get the joke.

As the likes of Kate McKinnon, Billy Eichner, and Bowen Yang ascended from New York’s musty improv theaters to the casts of “Saturday Night Live” and Disney remakes, the last decade has brought a remarkable shift in not only queer visibility but something far more substantial — queer influence. Queer TV shows like “The Other Two,” “Search Party,” and “Schitt’s Creek” reflect this sea change, but so far movies have been much slower on the uptake.

That all changes this year, with the release of two mainstream comedy movies from gay writers who also star in their projects. While Eichner’s major studio rom-com “Bros” is set to hit theaters in September, Joel Kim Booster’s “Fire Island” opens Pride month...

“Fire Island” writer and star Joel Kim Booster is reflecting on his Jane Austen–inspired queer romantic comedy’s legacy even ahead of its release amid Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

“Fire Island” stars Booster, Bowen Yang, Zane Phillips, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, and Margaret Cho in the vacation rom-com, out on Hulu June 3. Yet after first being acquired as a TV series by Quibi, “Fire Island” was greenlit by Disney-owned Searchlight Pictures, which will premiere the film on Disney-backed streamer Hulu. That partnership is now being called into question following Disney’s financial support of Florida’s homophobic bill that banned discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida primary schools.

“It’s something that weighs on me really heavily, the responsibility of making, first off, a good and honest movie and something that felt authentic and real to the gay experience,...