Luca Guadagnino’s Queer is said to be a career-best for Daniel Craig. (Netflix)
Gossip out of the Cannes Film Festival hints at Challengers director Luca Guadagnino’s forthcoming film Queer being Daniel Craig at his best, not to mention a whopping three hours long.
As we’ve come to expect from Guadagnino, he’s the master of deeply horny queer narratives, but the Italian director’s fascination with this may peak with Queer.
Guadagnino’s second film for 2024 is the topic on everyone’s lips at the Cannes Film Festival, even though it’s not premiering there. The buzz follows the widespread acclaim of Challengers – a horny drama that follows the tense love triangle between tennis lovers Tashi (Zendaya), Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor).
In a conversation with a producer at the French film festival, World of Reel’s Jordan Ruimy reported he had spoken to a producer who has seen Queer.
Ruimy wrote that the individual branded Guadagnino’s film as “fantastic” and that “Daniel Craig might have delivered the performance of his career.”
“A three-hour long queer movie called Queer starring Daniel Craig directed by Luca Guadagnino (sobbing emoji) a movie can not be more made for me,” one user excitedly posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Another shared: “Good morning to Luca Guadagnino only because his adaptation of Queer apparently is THREE HOURS LONG“
What is the plot of Queer?
Queer is based on William S. Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical novel, originally written in 1952 but not published till 1985.
The film will follow the story of Lee (who will be played by the ex-James Bond actor) as he jumps from bar to bar in the American expatriate scene in Mexico City.
In the book, which is written with self-deprecating black humour, Lee falls into a downward spiral and becomes infatuated with Allerton (Outer Banks star Drew Starkey), a young discharged American Navy serviceman.
Alongside Craig and Starkey, The Crown’s Lesley Manville, Asteroid City’s Jason Schwartzman and The New Mutant’s Henry Saga are in supporting roles.
American playwright Justin Kuritzkes (who wrote Challengers) has penned the adaptation of Queer.
Speaking to Radio Times, Kuritzkes shared: “Luca gave me the book for Queer while we were on set for Challengers and said ‘read this tonight and tell me if you want to write it,’ and I read it that night, and I told him I wanna write it and I was really honoured that he asked me.”
Also, British designer Jonathan Anderson (who also worked on Challengers) – has made a name for himself in the world of fashion with creations for Loewe and his own JW Anderson label – will be handling Queer’s costumes.
The film wrapped production last June – shot between Rome, Italy and Quito, Ecuador – and has recently wrapped post-production.
Queer is set to have its world premiere at Venice Film Festival, which takes place from 28 August to 7 September. Challengers was pulled from Venice last year amid the now-concluded SAG-AFTRA strike.
After the horny drama of Challengers, we can’t wait for Luca Guadagnino’s Queer.