‘Stop That Train’ Producers on Their Silly Disaster Spoof

This weekend, the “Drag Race” universe is expanding and getting ready to slay moviegoers with “Stop That Train.”

The disaster movie parody comes via Bleecker Street Films and World of Wonder, delivering 92 minutes of absurd silliness. Helmed by Adam Shankman and produced by World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the film stars RuPaul as Madame President Gagwell, who tries to avert a national disaster while attempting to boost approval ratings.

When a high-speed train called the Glamazonian Express is struck by lightning and hurtles toward disaster — a threatening “stormaganza” — the president is put to the test.

Starring alongside RuPaul is a roster of former “Drag Race” contestants. Best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee) play train stewardesses who trade their dreary shifts on the Stank Rail for the glitzy Glamazonian Express. Except they encounter the A-Squad — the Glamazonian Express version of “Mean Girls” — led by Ayshleiygh (Symone), Alli (Marcia Marcia Marcia) and Amber (Brook Lynn Hytes).

The film also boasts cameos from Nicole Richie, Lisa Rinna, Raven Symone, Matt Rogers and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

“Stop That Train’s” journey to the big screen began 11 years ago with Bailey and Barbato brainstorming ideas. However, as the project germinated, the pair continued telling stories in the unscripted and documentary space. But the idea for this scripted movie was always there, and there couldn’t be a better time for a comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously to hit movie theaters.

Bailey says, “We’re living in what seems like a real-life nightmare, and we need laughter.” There’s no shortage of laughs in the film, with a script penned by Christina Friel and Connor Wright. Bailey adds, “Laughter is activism, is resistance. If you can laugh in the face of oppression, that’s resistance, and more importantly, it’s fun. President Gagwell, she’s fun.”

While RuPaul might be best known as the host of “Drag Race,” Bailey notes that when he and Barbato met Ru in the mid-’80s, “he was making movies, ‘Starbooty.’ Randy and I always knew Ru was a movie star from the very beginning.”

Barbato adds that RuPaul, who is also a producer on the film, “was built for this. Ru is super efficient when it comes to everything, and it is amazing to watch him act. I’m sure, hundreds of years from now, people will dissect all the micro gestures and be able to pull precisely where and who they came from.”

As the film rolled into development, Shankman nixed the original idea of the film being set on board an airplane, and suggested changing the location to a train. “We can use all the stakes of what happens on an airplane and even the jokes,” Shankman said.

The comedy comes courtesy of the queens and “Drag Race” alumni who effortlessly land their jokes. Bailey doesn’t find their ability to land jokes surprising. He says, “Drag queens are actors. The moment they hit the runway, walk onto a stage, they’re playing a role.”

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles, on the same stage where “Drag Race” films. While it took 19 days to shoot, the production used up to 200 local crew members, and provided jobs for the local community. It was also independently financed.

And even though the film took 10 years, Barbato points out, “It’s not that dissimilar to the trajectory of ‘Drag Race,’ and trajectory of virtually everything World of Wonder does. It does take time, because most of the stuff we do is fiercely independent.”

“We knew we had very little, and we knew we wanted to make very much,” Barbato says. “This is an indie film in studio drag, and that really is what it is.”

As for what inspires their storytelling and projects, Bailey says, “The entire inspiration at World of Wonder really comes from our days in the East Village watching drag shows at the Pyramid with an audience. Whether it’s ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: Vegas Revue,’ Drag Con, or seeing ‘Drag Race’ in a bar, it’s so much fun to do things with an audience. It’s not just fun — it’s healing. Laughter is medicine, chicken soup for the soul.” He says in jest, “You come out of this movie and your face hurts because you’ve been laughing so much, and that makes a nice change from being punched in the face by the news cycle.”

Barbato admits they loved working in the scripted space. “I think this film might make people feel even more comfortable about our, our secret abilities in this arena,” he says. Could they ever do horror? “I’ve got a few horror ideas,” Bailey teases.

For now, Barbato and Bailey want people to bring joy to audiences. Bailey says he hopes people will leave “happier than when they came in.”