Another Ab Fab movie? I’ve discussed a prequel with Jennifer Saunders, says producer
Jon Plowman says they have talked briefly about "how did they all meet and get together when they were much much younger"
Will there be another Absolutely Fabulous movie?
After the release of the 2016 film, Ab Fab writer and star Jennifer Saunders said that was the end of the runway for the show and that she was not prepare to revisit the lives of the main characters – her PR Edina "Eddie" Monsoon and permanently sozzled sidekick Patsy Stone played by Joanna Lumley.
And so it seemed that the film, which saw the pair go on the run after accidentally killing model Kate Moss, was the last we would see of them. This was partly, Saunders explained at the time, because the characters would be too old.
But you can never say never, according to Jon Plowman, the producer of the 2016 film and indeed many episodes of the TV version of the fashionista comedy. He says he has actively discussed the possibility of an Ab Fab prequel with Saunders - and that it could potentially happen.
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“Another Ab Fab movie? Who can say?,” Plowman told RadioTimes.com with a laugh.
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“We have talked for a few minutes about doing a prequel – how did they all meet and get together when they were much much younger.
“It hasn’t got anywhere yet and indeed may never get anywhere. It may be the worst idea anybody has ever had.
“So we could do that. We could equally do them in very old age like we did in a very earlier episode [of the TV show]."
Plowman added that the film did very well - it made £30m at the box office - but that an Ad Fab prequel would almost certainly require recasting the main roles. This would at least have the advantage of "giving Jennifer a bit of an easier day” he chuckled.
The producer was speaking to promote his new memoir, How to Make Comedy Bronze, in which he reflects on his many decades in the business including a 27-year stint at the BBC where he rose to become head of comedy.
In his book, he laments the decline of the medium on television.
He writes: “It’s not the force in fun that it once was and this is partly because of competition but also because of the number of hours of comedy that have been lost on the main channels because, apparently, on the main channels people don’t want to laugh any more.”
