Jennifer Saunders To Pen ‘Absolutely Fabulous' Movie

Absolutely Fabulous creator and co-star Jennifer Saunders plans to write a movie version of the BBC TV comedy. She hopes to pen the feature film next year once she has finished work on the Spice Girls London stage musical Viva Forever. BBC Films boss Christine Langan tells me: “I think she’s a genius. I can’t imagine anything more exciting than working with her.” Absolutely Fabulous, which aired on BBC America, follows the lives of two best friends — Edina, an international PR guru by trade but a 1960s teenager at heart, and Patsy, a sex-crazed magazine editor. Ab Fab: The Movie will kick off with Patsy and Edina waking up hungover in the empty drifting yacht of an oligarch in the middle of the ocean. Even worse, their cellphones can’t get a signal. BBC America has just co-produced three new Absolutely Fabulous TV specials, the first of which will air in the UK at Christmas. The show became a hit when it first aired in 1992 until 1995. Creator Saunders then revived the show in 2001 and it ran for another three series until 2003.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Musical wouldn’t ring true, says Ruby Wax

As Jennifer Saunders confirms that a film will soon be made out of Absolutely Fabulous, Mandrake can disclose that the team first toyed with the idea of turning it into a Mamma Mia!-style musical.

Ruby Wax, the show’s script editor, tells me that they rejected the idea, however, because they felt that the story of Edina and Patsy simply doesn’t lend itself to music.

“It wouldn’t work as a musical,” Wax says. “I don’t think things ever sound better when they’re musicals as nobody can write good music nowadays, apart from Andrew Lloyd Webber, of course.”

Meanwhile, Saunders is making sure she can combine a holiday with filming the movie this spring. “I’m aiming to shoot this in a beautiful part of the Riviera,” she says. “I fancy the south of France in the spring.”

Jennifer Saunders on 'Absolutely Fabulous' movie: 'It'll never happen'

Jennifer Saunders has ruled out the possibility of bringing Absolutely Fabulous to the big screen.

Saunders has spoken enthusiastically about the idea in the past and in November 2011 it was even reported that an Ab Fab film was in the works. Earlier this year (2013) co-star Joanna Lumley told The Telegraph that Saunders was in the process of writing a script for the film.

However, Saunders has now turned her back on the idea, telling Glamour: "It'll never happen. We've been talking about it for so long and now I've just got this feeling that Ab Fab is in such a nice place now - if we made the film there would be such a danger that we could ruin it."

Created and written by Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous debuted in 1992 and has now followed the glamorously boozy exploits of PR guru Edina Monsoon and magazine editor Patsy Stone for 39 episodes. The show last returned for a series of three specials airing on Christmas Day 2011, New Year's Day 2012 and July 23, 2012 to coincide with the London Olympics.

Jennifer Saunders: 'I've finished draft script for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie'

Jennifer Saunders: 'I've finished draft script for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie'

Jennifer Saunders has confirmed that she has finished the first draft of the script for her Absolutely Fabulous movie – and says she wants to make the film this year.

Saunders also revealed that the film is titled Edina and Patsy after the two main characters from the TV series, her own Edina and Joanna Lumley's Patsy. Julia Sawalha's Saffy and June Whitfield's (as Edina's mother) will also return for the film, Saunders confirmed.

"I've finished the first draft. I’m feeling euphoric. My proper New Year’s resolution is to do the film, otherwise it’ll be a pointless year of procrastination," Saunders told the Sunday People.

Rebel Wilson to appear in Jennifer Saunders' 'Absolutely Fabulous' movie

Rebel Wilson is to appear in the forthcoming Absolutely Fabulous movie, Jennifer Saunders has revealed.

Saunders confirmed last month (January) that she had finished the first draft of the film's script. During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show tomorrow night (February 21), Saunders reveals that the Pitch Perfect actress wrote to her recently asking for a part in the film. "She's in it! She wrote to me and said 'Can I be in it please?'" Saunders says.

Saunders also reveals that part of the film is set in the French Riviera and admits that he only managed to complete its script after making a bet with her longtime comedy partner Dawn French.

"Did I tell you that I'd had a bet with Dawn that I would have to pay her £10,000 if I didn't produce [the film] by the end of the year?" Saunders recalls. "We had a live radio show at the end of [last] year so I produced a first draft by [then]!... I literally vomited it out. On New Year's Eve it came out!"

"There's some stuff I like, some stuff I've cut out. It'll be an ongoing process until it's actually finished," Saunders then says of the film's script.