RuPaul's Drag Race is making its theatrical debut this Friday with Stop! That! Train!, a campy disaster spoof directed by Adam Shankman that marks the first feature film set in the beloved competition show's universe. The movie hits theaters across the U.S. and internationally on June 12, bringing an all-star cast of queens and comedy legends together for a high-concept adventure.
Plot and Cast
The film centers on best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), stewardesses working aboard a glamorous train called the Glamazonian Express. When a catastrophic weather event called the Stormaganza threatens to derail the train and crash it into Los Angeles, the pair must team up with snobbish first-class attendants including Symone, Brooke Lynn Hytes, and Marcia Marcia Marcia, along with President Gagwell (RuPaul), to save the day. The ensemble also features Latrice Royale and a cameo-heavy lineup of talent both inside and outside the Drag Race universe.
Critical Reception
Early reviews are leaning into the film's intentional silliness and Pride Month timing. At the time of release, Stop! That! Train! held an 87 to 88 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics highlighted the chemistry between Minj and Jujubee as the emotional core of the movie. The Hollywood Reporter praised their "characterizations in perfect sync" and their "rapport endearing and their triumph-of-the-underdog arc something worth rooting for." Slant Magazine awarded it three out of four stars, noting the film "handles the dumbest things with just the right amount of seriousness."
A Queer Cultural Moment
While not all critics expect the film to be endlessly rewatchable, many see it fitting into a long queer tradition of midnight movies and communal viewing experiences. The Boston Globe predicted the movie will have "a long shelf life" in gay bars and at watch parties. As Drag Race has grown into a global pop-culture juggernaut, with queens increasingly moving into scripted television and film, Stop! That! Train! represents a significant milestone: a theatrical feature that gives drag artists genuine leading roles during Pride Month.
Cover photo: Government of California, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
