First a beloved nine-book series of novels, then a popular 1993 PBS TV mini-series, Armistead Maupin’s 'Tales of the City' is being brought back to life once more - this time by Netflix.
Actors Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis are set to reprise their roles as Mary Ann and Anna Madrigal, with Ellen Page joining the cast as Mary Ann's daughter. It will be set in present-day San Francisco and continue the telling of Maupin's iconic story, introducing it to a new generation of viewers.
According to , in the revival Mary Ann “returns home to San Francisco and is reunited with her daughter Shawna and ex-husband Brian, twenty years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann returns home to her chosen family and will quickly be drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane.”
The stories from Tales were first published in the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1970's as a fictionalised column focusing on LGBTIQ+ characters, before gaining popularity and being published as books. The stories arrived at a turning point for the gay rights movement, set against the backdrop of queer mecca San Francisco.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this new brand-new incarnation ofTales,” Maupin said of the revival.
“It’s set in present-day San Francisco with all the joys and complications that might suggest for the residents of 28 Barbary Lane. Mrs Madrigal’s tenants, both old and new, will be entangled in delicious new adventures and ever-expanding possibilities for love.”
The 10-episode series will be released in June and premiere at the San Francisco Film Festival on the second weekend of April.
You can watch the trailer below:
