EDGE Interview: Drag Monsters, Emmy Nods, and Stephen King Dreams - Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet’s Ghost Train’s Got No Brakes

In The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans season two, fourteen of the fiercest drag artists from past seasons (most of them top three finalists and fan favorites) will return to battle in design, performance, and makeup-based challenges inspired by horror, science fiction, fantasy, and the supernatural. The competitors will have to survive the show’s pillars of Filth, Horror, and Glamour in order to win the crown and a $100,000 grand prize, a headlining spot on a forthcoming world tour, and the title of “Queen of the Underworld”. 

Hosted by Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet, this season will feature a variety of guest judges & horror/genre royalty including David Dastmalchian, Jennifer Tilly, Todd McFarlane, Kate Siegel, Don Mancini, Bonnie Aarons, Akela Cooper, Twin Temple, Peaches Christ, Steve Orlando, Ryan Turek, James A Janisse & Chelsea Rebecca and season one winner, Victoria Elizabeth Black. The cast will be announced at a later date. 

Following the first season’s anointment of Victoria Elizabeth Black in 2022, season two will take the show to depths and heights it has yet to explore, blending high-concept drag artistry with outrageous physical challenges that force competitors to confront their deepest fears. From shocking twists and brutal “exterminations” to rivalries that rage through the finale, this season redefines what it means to be a Titan.

“We didn’t just want to make another season of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans. We set out to create a monster of a season that would completely eclipse everything that came before it,” says Dracmorda & Swanthula Boulet. “We pushed ourselves harder than ever, brought back the fiercest competitors in the show’s history, and packed every episode with shocking twists, jaw-dropping artistry, and real emotion. This is Titans fully realized - bigger, darker, and more unrelenting than anything we’ve done before.”

As the Boulet Brothers prepare to unleash their most ambitious season yet, we sat down with Dracmorda and Swanthula to talk Emmy nods, returning monsters, and the twisted magic behind Dragula: Titans Season 2.

EDGE: What does it mean to you to come back for a second season as a twice Emmy-nominated series?

SB: I think the ghost train has left the station, and we are just continuing to roll down the track. I feel like every year it's another accomplishment and we're grateful to have it, but in many ways, the two of us look at each other and think we're just getting started. Getting the acknowledgement of the Emmy nominations is surreal. We come from a subculture, and we've always been on the outskirts, a niche within a niche. Even after we came out, we didn't feel like we had found our tribe, because we're queer, you had to be queer and weird. I wasn't sure if the general public would ever recognize the creativity and coolness of what we've done. It's really gratifying that we're nominated, because it means this isn't a fluke. It’s pretty incredible.

EDGE: What’s different about Season 2 compared to the first? How did you want to raise the stakes?

DB: It's a different world. I liken it to season one of Dragula, which was a pilot that a network said, “Let's  turn this into a show and air it.” For me, that wasn't the point. With Titans one, it was the first time we had ever done anything like it. It was a bit of a crash course, and I think we learned a lot from it. To our surprise, it was hugely popular. It was the most-watched season of the show on the network at the time. After the first season, we wanted to take a little time to think it over before we did it again and make sure we did the next one correctly. I am extremely happy with the way it turned out. We just literally threw everything we could at it.

EDGE: How do you think the returning cast reflects the evolution of Dragula since their original seasons?

BB: I think the drag monsters from the earlier seasons are dumbfounded because it was so different,  especially from season one. I believe we filmed the first season in maybe a week or two. It was  very quick. Like I said, it was a pilot, so I think the monsters coming back from earlier seasons are pretty blown away.

EDGE: From Jennifer Tilly to season one winner, Victoria Elizabeth Black, your guest judges this season are amazing. What does each bring to the table?

DB: We have a lot of recurring guest judges. Once we find people that we like and who get the show, we value their input. The first thing we look for is that they have something to offer the cast. It's easy to cast judges who are going to come in and be shady, or just want to get their quips in and get some screen time, but that's not really valuable to the cast. We always want to have judges who have something of value to offer and ideas to help them in their careers. They also have to be very successful in whatever genre they work in and be a fan of the show. I think those are the two main things we look for.

SB: Some choices I think may not seem super intuitive; you may think, 'What does this person have to do with the world of drag?' But they're not there to judge the drag. That's why we are there. There may be an actor, designer, or another professional, and whatever the challenge is, it would reflect their area of expertise. We wanted judges who speak to what they know. It makes sense for these younger artists to hear the feedback from a professional who is successful in their chosen field.

EDGE: Without spoiling anything, is there anything you can tease about what viewers can expect from this season?

DB: They should expect to be flabbergasted by every episode. It's usual when a show has a few episodes that are not the most exciting, but this show or season. Every single episode is incredible and shocking. In part of the amazing cast we have. 

SB: The cast was a huge, huge part. They are wild on every level. Their drag is sick; their personalities are giving way beyond 100% and then the sparks that fly between them. They're serving genuine reactions and emotions, which makes the reality television producer in both of us sing. It's so good.

EDGE: What’s one horror icon you’d love to see inspire a future Dragula challenge?

DB: The Blob. If someone came sliding out on one of those little mechanical things with a gill and a black blob around them, they would win.

SB: I want something that revolves around the world of Stephen King. It's so huge, and for the challenge to just live in that space and just see what people came up with, I think it would be really good.

EDGE: This season arrives during a milestone year for Shudder, as the streamer celebrates 10 years of bringing the best in horror. How does it feel to have the show be part of such an important anniversary?

DB: It feels great. Honestly, the partnership with Shutter and the AMC family has been fantastic. They're great partners. They don't try to get in our way or put their opinions on the show. They leave us alone and let us create in the kitchen and enjoy the meal. That's the best kind of partnership you can ask for from a network. Many networks tend to provide extensive notes, which can be very controlling; however, that has not been our experience with either. They are truly amazing partners. 

EDGE: If you could describe Titans Season 2 in just three words, what would they be?

DB: Unexpected, shocking, and emotional.

SB: Spicy, spectacular, and satisfying.

The Highly Anticipated Second Season of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans Returns Tuesday, October 7th , on Shudder and AMC+.