With 2024 marking 30 years of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Guy Pearce has shared his thoughts on what he wants to see – and wants to avoid – in the sequel to the Australian drag classic.
After the famous bus was discovered abandoned in New South Wales, Priscilla writer and director Stephan Elliott confirmed a Priscilla sequel was in development, with the original cast – – Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp – returning for the new film, set both in Australia as well as overseas.
Guy, who played Adam Whitely/Felicia Jollygoodfellow in the film, said: “I’ve got to be honest. I don’t even know what to expect from it myself, because we’re at a very early stage.
“We have spoken and sort of said, ‘Look, I’d be up for it, Hugo would be up for it, and Terrence would be up for it.’
“We all agree that it would need to be something equally [great]. I mean, it’s hard to suggest you could make something better than the original film, but to make something that really feels like it’s a credible revisit. That’s all I would want.”
In April, Stephan Elliott gave his perspective on the Priscilla sequel, saying that in an era of drag bans and Trumpian politics, now was a “perfect” time for the follow-up.
“You have to remember that Tick had a kid, now that kid has grown up and he’s got his own family,” he told The Guardian.
“I don’t want to repeat myself, so it’s taken me a long while to come up with something… There’s something that needs to be said about tolerance.”
Guy added: “My great fear is that the legacy and the memory of the first one is tarnished by us silly bastards attempting to do something again, and it falls flat.
“There’s a lot of sequels these days, but for something that’s unique and special for its time… I think we would have an element in our favour, and time is that element.
“How have these characters [evolved]? How are they now, 30 years on? What are they up to?
“I do think there’s something different about doing a sequel 30 years on than doing one two years later, just because the first one was really popular.
“You jump back into something quickly and everyone goes, ‘Oh, they should’ve left it alone.’
“I think that’s what people say about Grease and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you know? So, I’m excited at the idea, but as long as it’s good.”
Guy said he trusted Stephan Elliott to not mess up the sequel, saying: “I can guarantee you that as Stephan Elliot is the writer/creator of this, anything that was popular in the first one… will be back with bells on.
“But the 2024/25-whatever version of it will reappear.
“Stephan loves to shock, and he’s well aware, more so than I am, of what worked in the first one.
“Of course, obviously there’s been the stage show. So he’ll create something especially that all the diehard fans will go, ‘That’s what we’re looking for!’”
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