If we’ve come to expect anything from Luca Guadagnino, it’s his ability to lace romance with the haunting and the forbidden. With Call Me By Your Name, he peeled back the tender layers of queer love, and in Bones and All, he dared us to feel desire in the twisted, consuming way only he can orchestrate. Now, Guadagnino takes on a story that plunges even deeper into the shadows of human desire, setting his sights on William S. Burroughs’ notorious Queer.
Adapted from Burroughs' provocative sequel to Junkie, Queer trails the author’s turbulent, semi-autobiographical journey, set in the seedy undercurrents of 1950s Mexico City. Written between 1951 and 1953, but shelved until 1985 due to its then-taboo themes of homosexuality, the novel charts a raw and fragile passage as Burroughs navigates a life detached from heroin dependency—a narrative Guadagnino seems destined to unravel. Steeped in Burroughs’ lived experience, Queer promises a collision of desire, vulnerability, and self-reckoning that will push the boundaries of Guadagnino’s cinematic world into uncharted, electrifying territory.
Watch the newest Queer trailer here:
And relive the first Queer trailer here:
What is Queer about?
Queer unfolds in the grimy, often surreal landscape of post-war Mexico City, where protagonist Lee ambles through a series of dimly lit bars, cafés, and encounters with fellow American expats. Lee, surviving on a small government stipend given to veterans after World War II, leads a life teetering on the edge of alienation and addiction. His days and nights blur together in a hazy drift, but everything sharpens when he meets Allerton—a younger, charismatic man who becomes the object of Lee’s consuming infatuation.
In Allerton, Lee finds a mirror of his own desire and emptiness. He becomes fixated, trying to bridge the void in his life through this intense, one-sided attraction. As he follows Allerton around Mexico City, their dynamic reveals Lee's longing not just for connection but for validation—a desperation that Burroughs uses to explore complex themes of dependency, loneliness, and unreciprocated love. Queer is raw, unsettling, and darkly humorous, offering a glimpse into the fractured psyche of a man both liberated and haunted by his own desires. Through Lee’s aimless journey, Burroughs casts light on the human need to find intimacy and belonging, even in the most unexpected—and often unrequited—places.
Who will star in Queer?
Daniel Craig is taking the leading role of Lee. Yes, you heard that right, James Bond's own is shedding his signature suit for undoubtedly less formal threads. Guadagnino has also cast Drew Starkey, best known for his role in Outerbanks, to play Allerton, Lee (Craig's) love interest. The remainder of the film’s cast includes Jason Schwartzman, Henrique Zaga, Andres Duprat, Ariel Shulman, Drew Droege, Omar Apollo, and Colin Bates. And of course, Jonathan Anderson will be teaming with Luca Guadagnino again as Costume Designer.
Who will be producing Queer?
Rejoice. A bulk of the Challengers team is returning for this project, including Jonathan Anderson for costume design, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for musical composition and Sayombhu Mukdeeprom for cinematography. A24 has acquired the rights to stream the film.
When will Queer release?
We finally have a release date for Queer: the film will be in Australia cinemas from the 27th of November.
Image Souce: Image 1 & 2
