‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’ Returns With 18 Queens

To commemorate its milestone tenth season, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars is set to air on May 9^th, 2025, with the franchise’s largest cast to date, coming in at a record-breaking 18 queens returning from seasons past for another shot at the crown, and an all-new tournament-style format for the queens to compete in. While fans have clamored to the internet to place their bets on which queen they think will be inducted into the All Stars Hall of Fame, others have pointed out that, while 18 queens – the most ever – have returned, many of them are repeat All Stars competitors.

With its first season airing in October 2012, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars has never had a cast that exceeded 13 returning queens. Now, with 18 contestants, showrunners can use the new tournament-style format to balance screen time, contestant confessionals, and story arcs uniquely to allow fans to stay engaged in what might be an oversaturated cast for any other franchise.

Even with several queens returning for their second, third, or even fourth time in the case of fan favorite Ginger Minj, the landmarked tenth season of All Stars marks a turning point in how the franchise utilizes its returning talent. For example, Lydia B Kollins, who only recently finished filming the seventeenth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, where she placed 7^th place, has already returned for All Stars. With her addition, the show can redefine how quickly a queen can be considered ready or eligible for legacy status, and redefine the previous use of All Stars seasons for contestants to achieve “redemption” in the eyes of fans and shift it instead to relevance, with her being top of mind with fans who watched her latest season – a move that shows that showrunners are growing and adapting in the ever changing streaming era.

While Drag Race’s latest announcement has fans buzzing, several fans have taken to social media to express their fatigue at seeing certain queens have additional chances after having already competed in previous All Stars seasons. At the same time, fans also discussed their interest in the return of other queens that have yet to appear on the All Stars franchise, with queens like Dida Ritz of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 4 still not appearing on the show despite clear interest from fans.

Ten seasons for any show is a huge achievement and shows that the franchise didn’t just survive, but it clearly resonated with its audience and thrived. Now, with a new format, a new roster, and new stakes, Drag Race All Stars has a chance to reenergize the narrative and reengage fans by presenting them with a cast of both new and familiar faces. All Stars 10 is more than just a celebration of the show’s legacy; it’s also a smart reset. Whether fans think the show is focused on honoring icons from a franchise that has lasted nearly 15 years or is too involved with reusing talent, it sparks conversation, and that is exactly what a show like this needs to stay top of mind in an industry that’s constantly changing.