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Huge day for your most annoying friend. Spaceballs, which was one of our original spoof films, took inspiration from classics like Star Wars, had music that reminded us of Jaws, and had Rick Moranis in a big helmet. Now, it’s back!
If you grew up a comedy fan, you knew Mel Brooks’ movies. I grew up watching Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Spaceballs with my family and see Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) take on the galaxy was just as thrilling as watching Darth Vader do so in Star Wars. But I love so much about this franchise. Do I love Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) because it is just a new Han Solo? Probably but hey, that’s okay. Now, I get MORE!
Huge day for your most annoying friend. Spaceballs, which was one of our original spoof films, took inspiration from classics like Star Wars, had music that reminded us of Jaws, and had Rick Moranis in a big helmet. Now, it’s back!
If you grew up a comedy fan, you knew Mel Brooks’ movies. I grew up watching Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Spaceballs with my family and see Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) take on the galaxy was just as thrilling as watching Darth Vader do so in Star Wars. But I love so much about this franchise. Do I love Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) because it is just a new Han Solo? Probably but hey, that’s okay. Now, I get MORE!
We all love a good cartoon mashup with something that’s sweet to eat. Does anyone remember the Dungeons & Dragons Nerds candy, and the Sugarfina Candy Simpsons collaboration? We actually think this one might top all of those. Via PR Newswire, we’ve learned the Hershey’s Kisses brand and The Pokémon Company International have joined forces for a chocolatey delicious journey, with special-edition Hershey’s Kisses wrapped in collectible Pokémon foils. You can check out the first images of the new Hershey’s Kisses and Pokémon collaboration down below:
There are 151 unique foil designs draw inspiration from the original Kanto region Pokémon. So each time someone unwraps one of these unique Hershey’s Kisses, it becomes a chance to discover, trade, and as the saying goes, “catch ’em all.” From Pikachu to Mew, each Hershey’s Kisses chocolate is wrapped up like a Poké Ball. In a statement, the Hershey Company’s Ashley Reeb said the following:
Our collaboration with Pokémon combines the timeless appeal of Hershey’s Kisses chocolates with the joy of discovery and collecting — making it more than just a treat. The special-edition foils may spark a little friendly competition but also unite fans around their love for milk chocolate and Pokémon.
As a way to help fans show off their finds, the Hershey’s Kisses brand is also debuting a limited-edition Collector’s Case. They’ve designed it to specifically hold all 151 chocolates. This way, Pokémon fans can proudly display their Hershey’s Kisses & Pokémon collection and fuel the chase to find every Pokémon. And the fun doesn’t end there. Throughout the summer, fans can log on to Hersheyland.com/Pokemon to track which Pokémon foils they’ve managed to find. Using the site, they can then monitor progress and unlock digital certificates to share on social media.
Pokémon aficionados will be able to find these Hershey’s Kisses in 10.1 oz and 34.1 oz bags at participating retailers nationwide this summer.
The post POKÉMON and Hershey’s Kisses Announce a Chocolatey Collectible Collaboration appeared first on Nerdist.
For decades, there’s been no shortage of zombie media, and it’s safe to say that the subgenre will never go out of style. And while many will moan about unoriginality and oversaturation, plenty of zombie-centric movies and TV shows have proven there’s more than one way to tell an apocalyptic tale of flesh-eating corpses.
At this year’s Tribeca Festival, Tina Romero, daughter of horror legend George A. Romero, makes her feature directorial debut with Queens of the Dead, which she co-wrote with writer-comedian Erin Judge (Quiet Desperation). The filmmaker and former DJ pays homage to her late father while making a name for herself with “a big gay zombie movie.”
Set in Brooklyn, Sam (Jaquel Spivey) shimmies his way around a hospital delivering jello cups to patients and colleagues, the kind of nurse who puts a smile on everyone’s face, trying to distract them from whatever pain they’re experiencing. Sam’s night takes a turn when he’s asked to resurrect his drag persona as a last-minute dance party replacement. It’s hinted that the last time he performed was a disaster.
For party organizer Dre (Katy O’Brian), this day/night is endlessly stressful, presenting one issue after another. Drag performers Ginsey (Nina West) and Nico (Tomás Matos) are being catty, Dre’s conservative brother-in-law Barry (Quincy Dunn-Baker) says all the wrong things while unclogging a toilet, drag queen Yasmine (Dominique Jackson) drops out for another gig, and there’s some past beef between Dre and Sam. But none of that compares to the unknown horrors that lie ahead.
Amidst the party planning chaos is a zombie outbreak gradually making its way to the warehouse, forcing Dre and the queens to hunker down with Barry, Jimmy the bartender/owner (Cheyenne Jackson), Kelsey the intern (Jack Haven), and other surprise visitors. Meanwhile, Dre’s wife Lizzy (Riki Lindhome), a nurse who works with Sam, and a trans patient named Jane (Eve Lindley) escape the hospital now overrun with the undead and try to find their way to the others.
Queens of the Dead is very character-driven, and no matter the amount of screen time, just about all of them leave a lasting impression. Drag artist Julie J, credited as “Zombiequeen,” opens the film as the first queen we see get bitten. In those first 5–10 minutes, the character serves up laughs while visiting a church rocking a devastatingly gorgeous outfit in head-to-toe sparkles. It’s a brief moment of realism (yes, queens pray, too!) that quickly descends into campy horror, a perfect way to set the genre-bending tone.
Speaking of the fabulous wardrobe, costume designer David Tabbert (Fire Island, Werewolves Within) dresses the characters in an array of eye-catching fits, particularly the performers’ stage looks. Tabbert’s work really shines in a third-act makeover montage that results in a series of Beyonce meets Mad Max DIY battle gear. And in true Romero fashion, the slow-moving zombies aren’t especially gory. The special effects makeup by artist Lindsay Gelfand (Fallout) has more of a subtle B-movie look but is highlighted with a dance party shine, complementing the glam party looks from the makeup department led by Christina Grant (Smile).
As all zombie stories do, Queens has social commentary, touching on everything from the gig economy struggle to drug addiction to LGBTQIA+ discrimination in the healthcare industry. The ensemble cast expertly delivers those dark, emotional moments that come with a zombie apocalypse, like fearing for their lives, the tragedy of losing loved ones, and repairing relationships in the face of death. Props to Jaquel Spivey and Nina West for the especially touching kinship between Sam and drag mom Ginsey. There’s an overall theme of self-love, acceptance, empowerment, and the importance of coming together as a community. The zombies distracted by their phones and social media is a nice satirical touch that recalls Dawn of the Dead’s critique of mindless consumerism.
Even with those sobering topics, the majority of Queens is a high-energy blast that’ll have audiences dancing in their seats to the synth-y sounds of Blitz//Berlin (SYFY’s Day of the Dead). Horror fans won’t consider the film scary, or even that gory. Romero told the New York Times she opted for a “delicious candy-colored world” over “ripped-out chest cavities.” But anyone who goes in expecting to be entertained won’t be disappointed. The humor may outweigh the terror, but there’s still tension and high stakes, increased by the complex bonds between chosen family and frenemies.
Tina Romero’s Queens of the Dead is a hilarious glam-gore zombie flick that celebrates the colorful, expressive world of drag with a talented ensemble cast made up of both established and rising stars who know how to balance emotion and campiness. The horror-comedy is a guaranteed future cult classic, boasting major rewatchability and a loud and proud debut from a master of horror in the making.
Queens of the Dead had its world premiere June 7 at the 2025 Tribeca Festival.
The post Tribeca 2025 Review: Tina Romero Makes a Fierce Debut with Queer Zom-Com ‘Queens of the Dead’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
J. Alphonse Nicholson has long made waves on stage and screen, from his compelling performance in P-Valley to powerful turns in Just Mercy and They Cloned Tyrone. But with his latest project, Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, Nicholson takes a transformative leap behind the camera, making his directorial debut with a deeply personal, spiritually resonant one-man show turned film.
In conversation with Black Girl Nerds, Nicholson opens up about the journey of bringing Freight to life, the ancestral grounding behind his performance, and how he’s using art to break generational cycles, on and off screen. He also discusses his role in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns, J. Alphonse Nicholson steps into a powerful new dimension, portraying John Stewart’s father, John Sr., a man forged by history, hardened by duty, and deeply layered beneath the surface.
BGN: And congratulations too on your directorial debut with this film.
Nicholson: Thanks.
BGN: What led you to go behind the camera, and what was it about this project that made you say yes to directing?
Nicholson: I’ve been wanting to get behind the camera for a while. This piece is interesting because it’s a combination of theater and film. I’ve been going to plays with my buddy Joseph since 2008 — well, really 2012. It’s been a journey, from New York to L.A.
Being a director in theater is so different from directing in film. I brought all my experience from being on set and shadowing directors for weeks, whether it was P-Valley or Just Mercy. Watching these people inspired me to want to put stories together.
I knew there was always a director in me. Coming from the stage, I had directed a few plays, including a one-man show for someone else. When you’re doing a one-man show, you’re essentially directing yourself, doing all that work at home. So that part of my brain was already working.
Bringing that knowledge into film and TV, and then partnering with Joelle Taylor—who helped me and who also worked on They Cloned Tyrone, which was here at ABFF a couple years ago, was incredible. We also brought on Lindsay Armstrong, an amazing editor who did Young. Wild. Free. Shout out to my good sister, Tabitha Brown, who came on board as our lead investor. She really made it happen.
BGN: That’s beautiful. What initially drew you to the character of Abel Green, especially given the story’s exploration of reincarnation and spiritual evolution?
Nicholson: I had been working with Howard Craft, the writer of Freight, for many years. He’s an amazing playwright and a professor at the University of North Carolina. I fell in love with his work.
Originally, Freight was written for an older man. I was 22 when he first wrote it. It started as a five-minute piece inspired by a painting—Slow Down Freight by Rose Piper. That initial minstrel piece was what I first saw, and I told him, “Brother, you gotta let me do this.” It was rich, intense, and gave me a chance to really flex my acting range.
At first, we could only perform it for five people at a time in front of the painting at a museum. I took that piece to New York, used it in auditions, and told Howard, “This should be a full-length play.” He came back five or six weeks later with The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, and I was blown away.
The piece takes you through a journey of a Black man in America from 1910 to 2010 in a witty, not-on-the-nose way. I was completely engaged. It stretched me—90 minutes on stage, solo. That became my masterclass in acting. It trained me and gave me the chops to eventually take that work to Broadway.
BGN: So well done. Was there a common emotional or spiritual thread you maintained across all five versions of Abel Green to help ground your performance?
Nicholson: Great question. The common thread was my ancestors. I could hear them and feel them while performing, especially my father and grandfather. The women in my life too, my aunties. That energy has always been a part of my work as a theater artist.
The first time I really felt it was while filming Just Mercy. I walked into a room with Michael B. Jordan and felt my dad squeeze my shoulder. Like he was saying, “You got it, baby.” That opened me up emotionally.
With Freight, you have to be grounded and breathing. You have to let your ancestors hug you through the process. It’s about making this man’s journey relatable. We’ve all been scammed. We’ve all felt duped. We’ve all worn the metaphorical “blackface” to perform.
Every incarnation — from the minstrel to the FBI informant — I could relate to. They were grounded in reality, but also playful and familiar, like people we knew growing up. And understanding their backstories deepened the performance. So yes, my ancestors, and my real-life experiences, guided me throughout.
BGN: Speaking of real life, what did you discover about yourself — emotionally and spiritually — through playing this role?
Nicholson: So much. You can’t hide from the truth in your life. If you don’t face it, you can’t move forward in a peaceful, fulfilling way or build real connections.
Being an actor — and doing Freight — taught me that. To be a good actor, you have to work on being a great person, father, and husband.
I learned I had to face fears, take accountability, and stop repeating the same mistakes. Who knows how many lives we’ve lived already? Hopefully, I can learn the lesson this time and finally reach Saturn.
BGN: Wow, powerful. We’re Black Girl Nerds, so I have to ask: You’re playing the young version of John Sr. in Lanterns. We’re excited about that series! Can you share a little bit about your character and his relationship with John Stewart?
Nicholson: I can’t share too much, because they’re keeping the show quiet. But I can say it’s been awesome to work on. I’m working with Aaron [Pierre] and Jasmine Cephas Jones, who plays my wife on the show. It’s this cool mix of a period piece and modern-day storytelling.
I’m in multiple episodes and have a strong presence in the story. I’m really excited to be in my “father bag” now playing a dad. My son just graduated 8th grade, and my stepdaughter’s at NYU studying acting. So stepping into father roles is meaningful.
We’re still filming. I just flew back from North Carolina for my son’s graduation, went to L.A. to shoot, and now I’m here in Miami. I’ll be back filming again on Friday. We’re almost done. Shooting wraps in July. I’ve got one more episode to go.
BGN: Final question. If your soul were repeating lives to learn a lesson, what do you think that lesson would be?
Nicholson: It would be to learn how to forgive your parents for the things they didn’t know how to tell you or teach you. As you get older and become a parent yourself, you realize how those things impact you.
You learn the value of being transparent with your kids so they aren’t naive to the world. So yes, learn to forgive your parents, and break the cycles they didn’t know how to.
Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green premieres today at the 2025 American Black Film Festival. The festival runs June 11th – 15th in South Beach Miami.
The post Legacy and Light: J. Alphonse Nicholson on ‘Freight’, Fatherhood, and Stepping Into the DC Universe appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.