EXCLUSIVE: Stephan Elliott, who directed the celebrated cult traditional The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, tells this column {that a} sequel “is occurring” and that the unique film’s stars Terence Stamp, Man Pearce and Hugo Weaving are again “on board” 30 years after the movie’s preliminary launch.
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll begin the brand new movie in Australia, however by God, we’re occurring one helluva journey,” Elliott reveals.
“The unique forged is on board, I’ve acquired a script that everyone likes, we’re nonetheless understanding offers. … It’s taking place,” he provides with brio.
Because it performed a midnight screening in Un Sure Regard on the 1994 Cannes Movie Competition, Priscilla has grow to be a byword for glittering, extravagant extra. That was a celebration evening to recollect; besides I used to be there and all I can bear in mind is getting again to my resort at 6 a.m.
The movie, a couple of transsexual and two drag queens (performed by Stamp, Pearce and Weaving, respectively) who set off from Sydney in an old-school bus the trio dubbed Priscilla to carry out to disco golden oldies and ABBA hits within the virtually treeless, scorching desert plains of southern Australia whereas sheathed in glamorous frocks and bejeweled headgear atop their wigs, has loved a mammoth crossover viewers that has elevated within the intervening years as new generations have found the film.
(L-R) Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Man Pearce in 1994’s ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’
Gramercy Footage / courtesy Everett Assortment
With the mainstream success of TV exhibits like RuPaul’s Drag Race, it’s most likely tough for some to understand how revolutionary it appeared three many years in the past for drag artistry to characteristic in a film that wasn’t simply being marketed to a distinct segment LGBTQ viewers. Elliott and his associates noticed a means of attractive “the straight viewers as nicely.”
Elliott says that for years he was resistant to creating a follow-up movie. ”I simply was unsure, I simply didn’t need to repeat myself,” he confused.
“I believed, what am I going to do? Stick them on a cruise ship, stick them on a practice? You identify it, over time I’ve been pitched Priscilla 2 in spades.”
5 years in the past he started toying round with the thought of a sequel, nevertheless it took the loss of life of his dad and mom — his father and his mom died inside two years of one another — plus the pandemic to focus his thoughts.
Their passing hit Elliott onerous, however his fond recollections of them spurred his creativity. “I used to be writing and configuring after dad died in early 2020,” he says. ”Then mum died in early 2023. It was a troublesome one, and so I lastly realized that I do have one thing to put in writing about.”
The brand new story brings again Bernadette, Stamp’s character; Adam/Felicia, the roles performed by Pearce; and Tick/Mitzi, the elements assumed by Weaving.
(L-R) Man Pearce, Terence Stamp and Hugo Weaving in ‘Priscilla’
Gramercy Footage / courtesy Everett Assortment
Tick’s character within the 1994 movie had a 7-year-old son. “Properly, he’s grown up now,” says Elliott. “Due to this fact I’ve written in a bunch of latest characters to help a brand new technology.”
He says the brand new film will characteristic “previous disco classics, however we’ll be shifting into modern as nicely.”
Elliott mentions the brand new Priscilla the Social gathering! present that just lately opened within the HERE on the Outernet within the coronary heart of the West Finish. It has a 4 a.m. liquor license, “so what we’ve achieved now could be simply add alcohol.”
He notes that “the gang goes ballistic over Girl Gaga’s “Born This Method,” so Gaga numbers are a chance for the brand new film. “We’ve acquired to maneuver with the occasions,” he provides.
PolyGram backed and propelled the unique movie and Gramercy distributed it; each entities have folded. MGM holds some rights, as do another enterprises together with the Australian Movie Finance Company and the New South Wales Movie & Tv Workplace. Al Clark was the image’s producer and Insurgent Penford-Russell was an govt producer. “The underside line is that I’ve simply had all people to the desk and we’re hammering out the deal now simply so all people’s completely satisfied,” Elliott says.
Stamp’s now 85, and Elliott says he desires to get a wriggle on and “get it taking place, get it capturing this 12 months. Truly, as quickly as potential.”
For a number of years, the 1976 Japanese-made bus, referred to as Priscilla for the film and which was rented throughout the filming in 1993, disappeared. It surfaced at a property in New South Wales however was broken by wildfire and floods. Nevertheless, the Historical past Belief of South Australia took possession of it a 12 months in the past and launched a fundraising effort to revive it.
Priscilla the bus, at proper, following bush fires and floods in New South Wales
Picture courtesy Historical past Belief of South Australia
“I don’t know the way it survived however we now have a plan,” says Elliott. “Don’t fear, the bus will characteristic.”
Additionally, says Elliott, a couple of 12 months in the past he and his colleagues started the duty of remastering for the primary time and remixing the print for thirtieth anniversary screenings in theaters round this summer season’s Delight week.
“It’s the thirtieth anniversary, the bus has been discovered, Priscilla the Social gathering! is about to roll out globally and it’s time for Priscilla’s last journey to get made,” he says.
He’ll function director, author and producer, although he intends to companion with one other producer.
Elliott spoke with me after I reached him at his residence in Portugal. Though he confirmed the sequel, he says an official announcement might be made quickly as soon as numerous negotiations are accomplished.
He would like to welcome again unique creatives, “nevertheless it has to do with their availability.”
The Oscar-winning Priscilla costumiers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner additionally collaborated with Elliott on Priscilla the Social gathering!
Julian Glover & Susan Hampshire Prepared For Their Shut-Up With ‘Maurice’s Jubilee’
On the subject of actors of a sure age desirous to get on with tasks, there’s additionally the case of Julian Glover (Indiana Jones and the Final Campaign, Sport of Thrones) now 89, and 86-year-old Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga, Vainness Honest) who’re eager to get cameras rolling as quickly as potential on a film referred to as Maurice’s Jubilee.
It’s primarily based on an award-winning play by Nichola McAuliffe a couple of grasp jeweler who meets the younger Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace when he goes to gather the Crown Jewels the evening earlier than the coronation in 1953. They’ve a cup of tea and make a promise to fulfill once more for an additional cuppa on the eve of her majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.
McAuliffe has tailored her story for the display and it has been developed as a characteristic by director Nicholas Connor. The goal is to shoot each on-location and in a digital manufacturing studio.
Hampshire will play Helena, Maurice’s spouse.
(L-R) Susan Hampshire, Nicholas Connor, Nichola McAuliffe and Julian Glover (seated)
Courtesy Maurice’s Jubilee
The film spans a number of many years, so clearly youthful actors might be forged to play Maurice and Helena in earlier years. “However we have to get going,” says McAuliffe. “Julian and Susan aren’t getting any youthful and are eager to get in entrance of the cameras,” she provides, noting that the manufacturing is in search of funding to get the cameras rolling.
Love’s Labour’s Not Misplaced On ‘Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson
Bridgerton star Luke Thompson reveals an urge for food for for prime jinks and tomfoolery as Berowne, the King of Navarre’s chief attendant and fellow scholar who, together with two fellow younger lords, guarantees to forswear girls for 3 years.
That is Shakespeare’s early romantic comedy Love’s Labour’s Misplaced, and Thompson offers simply the suitable comedian contact to tug it off. He and his fellow castmates appear very a lot at residence in director Emily Burns’ model, which she locations in a swanky spa referred to as Navarre nestled on a South Pacific island.
Luke Thompson in ‘Love’s Labour’s Misplaced’
Baz Bamigboye/Deadline
It’s the right curtain raiser for the Royal Shakespeare Firm’s new co-artistic administrators Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, who opened Burns’ manufacturing on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on Thursday evening.
The selection of play was good. For starters it made sense to open with a Shakespeare. Would have been a bit daft to current a Noel Coward. And that it’s one of many Bard’s lighter works quite then one in all his tragedies is an effective factor. There’s time sufficient in future seasons for heavies like Lear and Macbeth.
Royal Shakespeare Firm co-artistic administrators Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey
Baz Bamigboye/Deadline
Thompson additionally exhibits off his romantic chops to good impact in Season 3 of Bridgerton.
(L-R) Brandon Bassir, Luke Thompson, Abiola Owokoniran and Eric Stroud in ‘Love’s Labour’s Misplaced’
Johan Persson/RSC
Fellow actors in Love’s Labour’s Misplaced embrace Abiola Owokoniran, Eric Stroud, Brandon Bassir, Jack Bardot, Melanie-Joyce Bermudez, Ivanna Kimbook, Amy Griffiths, Sarita Gabon, Jordan Metcalfe, Jeffrey Chekai, Tony Gardner, Kok-Hwa -Lie, Nathan Foad, Marianella Phillips, Jeffrey Chekai, Shailan Gohil, Tika Mu’Tamir and Jamie Tyler.
