The career of John Waters, Hollywood's 'Duke of Dirt'

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John Waters to make a return to directing after almost 20 years

Fri 7 October 2022 11:30, UK

John Waters, one of the most experimental and idiosyncratic filmmakers of modern American cinema, is making a return to the industry after a near-20-year absence.

Adapting his own novel, Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance, the influential filmmaker will write the screenplay and also direct the upcoming movie. The new announcement marks the return of Waters after 18 years out of the industry, with his last movie, 2004’s A Dirty Shame, starring the likes of Tracey Ullman, Chris Isaak, Johnny Knoxville, Mink Stole, Selma Blair and Suzanne Shepherd.

Speaking about the new movie, Waters stated: “Liarmouth is the craziest thing I’ve written in a while, so maybe it’s fitting that my novel was shocking enough to jumpstart the engine of my film career”.

Eager to return to the industry in which he made a name for himself, he adds: “Thrilled to be back in the movie business, hopefully to spread demented joy to adventuresome moviegoers around the world”.

Described as a funny, filthy crime story, Liarmouth tells the story of Marsha Sprinkle, a suitcase thief with a chip on her shoulder and a sackful of secrets who goes on the run. Sounding like a piece of quintessential Waters, we can’t wait to experience the film whenever it hits theatres in the distant future.

For John Waters, AKA The Prince of Puke, AKA The Duke of Dirt, beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, with the iconic actor and filmmaker having created a career for himself rooted in the very essence of bad taste. Responsible for helping the idiosyncratic performer Divine to reach cultural fame by casting her in early films Roman Candles and Mondo Trasho, the director heralded a new era for independent filmmaking, one which encouraged total liberated freedom.

Take a look at the trailer for Waters’ most notorious movie, the cult classic Pink Flamingos, below.