Guy Pearce Gives ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 2’ Filming Update
Actor Guy Pearce has given a rough timeline for the long-awaited sequel to the 1994 cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, telling Good Morning America that filming is likely to begin in 2027, with a release expected in 2028. The update comes roughly a year after the death of co-star Terence Stamp, who played Bernadette Bassenger and passed away in August 2025 aged 87, meaning the sequel will proceed with new poignancy for fans and the original cast alike.
Written and directed by Stephan Elliott, the original film followed three drag queens—played by Pearce, Stamp and Hugo Weaving—travelling across the Australian Outback in a bus named Priscilla. Elliott has said the original cast is attached and a script is in place, though deals are still being finalised. Anticipating Stamp's declining health, Elliott had pre-shot all of Bernadette's scenes in advance; he noted Stamp had firmly rejected the idea of a digital or AI-generated version of himself playing the role, wanting instead to retire the character in person, "just in case I don't make the start line."
- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert sequel expected to shoot in 2027, release 2028
- Follows death of co-star Terence Stamp in August 2025, aged 87
- Stamp's scenes were pre-shot; he refused a digital AI clone of himself
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Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving starred in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, a 1994 film about three drag performers crossing the Australian Outback in a bus called Priscilla. Written and directed by Stephan Elliott, the film became a cult favourite, and a sequel has long been talked about among fans and cast members.
Terence Stamp, who played the character Bernadette Bassenger, died in August 2025 at the age of 87. Aware that his health was declining, Elliott had already filmed all of Stamp's scenes for the sequel in advance, so that the character's story could be completed without relying on digital recreation, an option Stamp himself did not want.
Guy Pearce's recent comments give the clearest indication yet of when the follow-up film might actually reach cinemas, after years of the project being discussed without a firm schedule. The sequel matters both as a rare continuation of a well-loved 1990s film and as one of Stamp's final on-screen contributions.