Queer As Folk Reboot - What We Know So Far

The British LGBTQ drama series "Queer as Folk," created by Russell T. Davies, is getting another American reboot. In 2018, Variety broke the news that Bravo was developing the show, but it took three years for the project to come to fruition. In April 2021, Variety announced the series was moving forward at Peacock, with the streaming service greenlighting an eight-episode straight-to-series order. Stephen Dunn ("Closet Monster") is serving as the show's creator, writer, and executive producer (alongside Davies), and he will direct the pilot episode.

"Queer as Folk" followed the lives of three gay men played by Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly, and Charlie Hunnam living in Manchester, England. The eight-episode series debuted in 1999, and a two-part follow-up aired in 2000. A North American version starring Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, and Hal Sparks, written and developed by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, aired on Showtime from 2000-2005.

Lisa Katz, president of scripted entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, issued a statement (via Variety)."'Queer as Folk' was more than just a show, it was a groundbreaking and necessary voice for so many people. Stephen's new version for Peacock arrives at yet another pivotal moment in our culture."

Here's everything we know about the "Queer as Folk" reboot so far. 

Casting is still underway on "Queer as Folk," but according to an August 2021 report by Variety, production will begin this fall in New Orleans, meaning Peacock's reboot series will most likely air sometime in spring 2022. Fast-tracking the series with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases could be a Herculean task, though, especially with an ensemble cast filming in a city that has struggled to keep the pandemic in check (via the Associated Press News).

Peacock has no shortage of content slated for fall, including new seasons of "Days of Our Lives," "AP Bio," "Snapped," and "American Ninja Warrior," to name a few. The streaming service will also feature an assortment of fresh content, including "One of Us Is Lying," based on Karen M. McManus' New York Times best-selling novel, and "Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol" about a Harvard symbologist caught up in a global conspiracy.

The casting process is ongoing, but Variety has confirmed that Jesse James Keitel of David E. Kelley's "Big Sky" is onboard. On that series, you'll recognize Keitel as Jerrie Kennedy, the victim of a human trafficking ring. Keitel is one of a few openly trans non-binary stars working in network television, and in "Queer as Folk," Keitel will play "a trans, semi-reformed party girl who is struggling to grow up." Keitel's other acting credits include the Showtime movie "Fluidity" and Netflix's "Alex Strangelove." 

Undoubtedly, Stephen Dunn is searching for ethnically diverse up-and-coming LGBTQ+ talent to round out the ensemble. Although both the U.K. and North American incarnations of "Queer as Folk" explored the challenges and prejudices gay people face as marginalized members of society, the casts themselves were predominately white and straight. Some time back, while promoting his series "It's a Sin," Davies shared his feelings with Radio Times about the importance of casting gay men to play gay characters. "I'm not being woke about this... but I feel strongly that if I cast someone in a story, I am casting them to act as a lover, or an enemy, or someone on drugs or a criminal or a saint... they are not there to 'act gay' because 'acting gay' is a bunch of codes for a performance. It's about authenticity, the taste of 2020," Davies said.

Details about the plot of the new "Queer as Folk" have yet to emerge, but the series will revolve around "a diverse group of friends in New Orleans, whose lives are transformed in the aftermath of a tragedy" (via Variety). Dunn revealed in an interview with CBC that his uncle Paddy Healey, a man in his 60s, who has cerebral palsy, just came out a few years ago. "I know that Paddy has never seen himself reflected on television or in movies before. One of the inspirations behind my reimagining for the show is to impartially make it a little bit for him too," Dunn said. 

It's been over two decades since Davies' groundbreaking series premiered, and Dunn feels there's still room for progress regarding queer representation on television. He plans to "re-envision" Davies' show "with my community in mind," he said.

While recent reboots such as HBO Max's "Gossip Girl" pay homage to the original series, the casts are more inclusive, and the story arcs reflect today's cultural and political landscape. Peacock's "Queer as Folk" appears poised to do the same.