First Photo of 'Absolutely Fabulous' Movie Released as Filming Begins

Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley are returning to the roles they made famous in the '90s TV series.

Edina and Patsy are officially back, darlings.

After several years of rumors about an Absolutely Fabulous movie, it was confirmed on Monday that principal photography had started on Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley reprising the roles they made famous on the original hit BBC '90s TV series. The comedy — from BBC Films and Fox Searchlight — will shoot on location and in France for seven weeks, and sees the pair forced to flee to the French Riviera after being "blamed major incident at an uber fashionable launch party," according to the release.

“I am thrilled and excited to finally start filming. We are all taking our medication and hoping for the best,” said Saunders. Monday's announcement also included the first photo from the film (above), of Edina and Patsy on the back of a boat, raising glasses of Champagne.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, reunites Saunders and Lumley as the iconic Edina and Patsy, along with the rest of the original cast that includes Julia Sawalha as Saffy, Jane Horrocks as Bubble and June Whitfield as Mother.

The team behind the camera includes Mandie Fletcher (Blackadder, Absolutely Fabulous) directing from a script by Saunders as well as producers Jon Plowman (Absolutely Fabulous, The Vicar of Dibley) and Damian Jones (The Iron Lady, Belle), with Steve Milne, Christian Eisenbeiss, Christine Langan, Nicola Martin, Saunders, Dawn French, and Maureen Vincent serving as executive producers.

“Ab Fab on the big screen is a treat we've been hotly anticipating at BBC Films and we're very proud to join Jennifer and her terrific team for this delicious reunion,” said Langan, head of BBC Films.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie will be released in 2016.