Guy Pearce has given a fresh update on the long-in-development sequel to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, confirming that filming is expected to begin in 2027, with a release planned for 2028. Speaking to Good Morning America, Pearce said the team is aiming to shoot the film next year and bring it to audiences the year after.
The update comes just over a year after the death of Terence Stamp, who played the beloved character Bernadette in the original 1994 film. According to director Stephan Elliott, Stamp spent the final months of his life reprising the role for the sequel, filming all of his scenes using a nine-camera setup across multiple sessions before he passed away in August 2025 at the age of 87. Elliott has said Stamp insisted on playing the part himself, telling the director he wanted the chance to put the character down on his own terms, “just in case I don’t make the start line.”
Elliott has explained that Stamp firmly rejected the idea of using a digital double to complete his scenes, particularly as conversations around AI-generated performances became more common in the industry. Because of Stamp’s age, Elliott made the decision to pre-shoot all of his material well ahead of the rest of production.
The director has described the experience as both joyful and difficult, saying Stamp threw himself fully into the role despite the long hours in makeup and costume. Elliott has also said that calling “that’s a wrap” on Stamp is something that will stay with him for the rest of his life. A stand-in actor will be used during the main shoot in 2027, with Stamp’s pre-filmed performance as Bernadette then edited into the final film during post-production.
Written and directed by Stephan Elliott, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert followed three drag performers, played by Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving, as they travelled across the Australian outback in a bus named Priscilla. Stamp played Bernadette, a transgender nightclub performer, in a portrayal that was considered groundbreaking for its time and earned him nominations for both a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. Pearce played Adam/Felicia, while Weaving played Tick/Mitzi. Though it was not an instant blockbuster on release, the film became a cult favourite over time and remains a landmark title in queer cinema.
Plans for a sequel had reportedly been in the works since before the pandemic, with Elliott previously saying it took him years to land on a story he felt was worth telling. Development slowed considerably during COVID, though the extra time allowed the script to come together. Deadline first reported in 2024 that a sequel was officially in the works, with the original cast set to return.
Elliott has said the new film centres heavily on themes of aging within the queer community, calling it an unusual and deeply touching project built around ideas rarely explored on screen in this way. Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving are both expected to reprise their original roles alongside Stamp’s completed performance.
With Stamp’s scenes already completed and the shooting timeline now set for 2027, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 2 looks to finally move into production more than three decades after the original film first reached theatres. Should the 2028 release timeline hold, audiences will get to see Stamp’s Bernadette one final time, in a performance he chose to complete himself before his passing.
