A sequel of the iconic Australian film “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” is in the works with the original stars and director returning to helm it.
It’s been thirty years since the release of the cult classic directed by Stephan Elliott and starring Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving.
The 1994 film follows a transgender woman named Bernadette and drag queens Felicia Jollygoodfellow (Adam Whitely) and Mitzi Del Bra (Tick) on their road trip from Sydney to Alice Springs on the iconic Priscilla bus.
Elliott confirmed to Guardian Australia that the script, which took five years to write, was finished.
News of the sequel was first published by US entertainment industry news website Deadline.com.
“People have been screaming for me to do this for 30 years,” Elliott told the Guardian.
“And suddenly I had the realisation that we’re all getting old. We’re losing people.
“And with Trump coming in now – it’s all about to erupt again. Somebody said to me, ‘Is this the right time to make this film?’ I said, ‘It is the perfect time to make this film.’”
Plot details are still under wraps but there is speculation it will feature a grown-up version of Tick’s seven-year-old son from the original film and will possibly extend beyond Australia’s borders.
“This is not a dire story, it is pretty extravagant. I’m going to give RuPaul a run for her money, let me let me tell you that,” said Elliott.
Another star will also be returning for the film: the iconic Priscilla bus.
The original bus was found in remote NSW after vanishing without a trace shortly after being used in the original film.
It was found in Ewingar – about 120 kilometres south-west of Byron Bay – where it had been sitting in a backyard since 2006.
The 1976 Hino RC320 is currently being restored by the History Trust of South Australia, having been damaged by both bushfires and floods throughout the years.
“When the bus surfaced it felt like, is this some kind of celestial lineup? There’s lots of work to be done. But we’re off,” said Elliott.
Contract negotiations with production companies and actors are still ongoing.
There is no word yet on when filming will start.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is available to stream in Australia on Amazon’s Prime Video service.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
