Queer as Folk restart gets series order at Peacock
It’s been 21 years Queer as Folk aired its last episode but now Peacock has officially commissioned Stephen Dunn’s reboot of the British drama led by game of Thrones Alum Aidan Gillen. The project comes from Universal Content Productions, who has been developing the new restart since 2018. This isn’t the first time the short-lived British series has been re-produced in the US, as Showtime was previously adapted Queer as Folk in 2000, which aired for five seasons.
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“It’s a surreal honor to adapt Russell T. Davies’ notoriously groundbreaking series,” Dunn said in a statement. “When the show first aired, the idea of unapologetic queer stories on TV was so provocative that I felt like I was just watching Queer as Folk in secret. But so much has changed in the last 20 years and how nice it would be if the next generation didn’t have to watch Queer as Folk alone in their damp basements with muffled noise, but with their family and friends and the volume turned up to the maximum. “
The reboot created and written by Dunn will take place in New Orleans and will follow a diverse group of friends whose lives have changed after tragedy. The series is described as a living reinterpretation of the groundbreaking British series.
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“Queer as Folk was more than just a show, it was a groundbreaking and necessary voice for so many people, “Lisa Katz, president of scripted content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a statement. “Stephen’s new version for Peacock arrives at another crucial moment in our culture. Alex Sepiol, EVP for Drama Programming, and his team have supported this project from the moment it landed on their desks to ensure the script turned out to be the series we are announcing today. The entire team is thrilled to be part of introducing a new generation to this kind of authentic and affirmative storytelling. “
In addition to writing, Dunn will also lead pilot and executive production alongside Lee Eisenberg, Emily Brecht, Richard Halliwell of NENT Studios UK, and original series producers Russell T. Davies and Nicola Shindler.
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The original series created by Russell T. Davies ran from 1999 to 2000 for only 10 episodes. It featured Gillen, Craig Kelly and Charlie Hunnam who played the roles of Stuart, Vince and Nathan. The series revolves around the lives of three gay men in Manchester.
