Curiouser and curiouser! Naomi Campbell wields an axe as she poses alongside Diddy, Whoopi Goldberg, and RuPaul in all-black Alice In Wonderland-themed 2018 Pirelli Calendar

• e-mail

After teasing behind-the-scenes images from the London photoshoot this July, the 2018 Pirelli Calendar has made its debut — and it's just getting curiouser and curiouser.

This year, the hotly-anticipated calendar by the Pirelli company, which has been published annually since 1963, features a whimsical Alice in Wonderland theme — and, for the first time ever, and all-black cast of subjects. 

Photographed by Tim Walker and styled by new British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, each page depicts another fantastical scene from the beloved Lewis Carroll book, with actors, models, rappers, and even activists stepping into the fictional roles.

Scroll down for video 

Fish-eye effect: Diddy and Naomi Campbell play the two Royal Beheaders in the Alice-In-Wonderland-themed 2018 Pirelli calendar, but look much more like they are starring in a '90s hip-hop video

Down the rabbit hole: The calendar has an all-black cast, with model Duckie Thot taking on a starring role as Alice

The royals: RuPaul plays the Queen of Hearts and Blood Diamond star Djimon Hounsou plays the King of Hearts

More royals: Whoopi Goldberg and albino model-lawyer Thando Hopa stand in as the Royal Duchess and Princess of Hearts

Taking her role seriously: Campbell looked glamorously threatening as she posed as one of the Royal Beheaders

Duo: Diddy and the supermodel looked positively regal during their joint photo shoot as the Royal Beheaders

Having a disagreement? Campbell at one point curled her left hand into a fist, suggesting the Royal Beheaders might not see eye to eye on everything

Milestone: The model and Diddy are part of the first all-black cast to have starred in a Pirelli calendar since 1987

Model Duckie Thot plays Alice herself, posing upside-down with her feet on the ceiling in a too-small house after downing the magical Eat Me cookie.

RuPaul is the Queen of Hearts. looking fabulous and menacing in a red dress while the King of Hearts (played by Blood Diamond star Djimon Hounsou) stands nearby. In another shot, RuPaul presides over a royal court, clearly not one to be messed with.

Naomi Campbell and Sean 'Diddy' Combs take on the roles of the Royal Beheaders, looking nearly indistinguishable from a pair of stars in a late-90s rap video save for the axes in their hands. 

'That bold statement by Pirelli, I think, really goes against any ignorance,' Diddy said. 'People of color all over the world need to know that they're kings and queens, and I think that story of Alice in Wonderland puts that in that proper perspective.'

And Whoopi Goldberg and albino model-lawyer Thando Hopa stand in as the Royal Duchess and Princess of Hearts, respectively.

'When you think of the Pirelli calendar, I'm not the face that comes up,' Whoopi said. 'I know that. But girls, little girls like me wait to see someone who looks like me in a calendar. So, ta-dah!' 

Rounding out the cast are model Slick Woods as the Mad Hatter, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o as the Dormouse, American Honey actress Sasha Lane as the Mad March Hare, stylist Zoe Bedeaux as the Caterpillar, women's right activist Jaha Dukurehas the Wonderland Princess, model Adut Akech as the Quene of diamonds, rapper Lil Yachty as the Queen's Guard, and model and activist Adwoa Aboah as Tweedledee.

Models Alpha Dia, King Owusu, and Wilson Oryema each play both gardeners and playing cards, while King also plays Tweedledum. 

Star-studded: Behind-the-scenes photos were first unveiled this summer

King of Hearts: They gave a peak at the whimsical set and costumes

Something different: New British Vogue editor Edward Enninful styled the shoot, which features an all-black cast 

Queen of Hearts: Reality TV star and drag queen RuPaul looks breathtaking as the fearsome red queen

The Mad Hatter: Taking on one of the best-known roles of the story is American model Slick Woods

Owning it: RuPaul (pictured center as the Queen Of Hearts) admitted it took a lot of 'moxie' to pull off his costume

Representation: 'When you think of the Pirelli calendar, I'm not the face that comes up,' Whoopi (pictured with Hopa) said. 'I know that. But girls, little girls like me wait to see someone who looks like me in a calendar. So, ta-dah!'

Three-dimensional: Nyong'o was glad to be working with Walker, whose cinematic approach to photography agreed with her actor's mind. 'It's really cool to be in a moment where it's not just about the sexuality of my body,' she said

Enninful got involved after Walker reached out to him to pitch the concept, at which point Enninful said taking part in the project was a 'no-brainer'. 

'It seemed like such a simple idea, the retelling of Alice in Wonderland with an all-black cast,' the Vogue editor added, looking back on the genesis of the calendar.

Walker realized that the story of Alice In Wonderland had been told many times in the past, and this wanted to go back to the 'genesis' of the story told by Lewis Carroll in  1865.

The calendar is Campbell's fourth, and she noted that she did one in her teens, one in her twenties, another in her thirties, and the present one in her forties. 

'I'm just really happy as I'm someone that fights every day for balance and diversity in the modeling world. So to see this happen is absolutely beyond my wildest dreams,' the supermodel said.

Diddy revealed he's had Alice In Wonderland quotes tattooed on his arms for five years, including a bit of dialogue that enabled him to put his 'own take' on the narrative. On his bicep, a conversation between Alice and Sean can be read, with Alice saying 'This is impossible' and Diddy responding: 'Nothing is impossible.'

The calendar also marks the first time worked with Walker, whose work she has always admired. She became so excited when he walked her through his concept she felt like she was having a 'mini heart attack'. 

RuPaul was equally enthusiastic about stepping into the Queen Of Hearts' shoes. 

'I'm so excited about my gorgeous costume that Edward has created for me,' he said. 'It's a lot of costume, and it takes a lot of moxie to pull it off. I think I can handle it though.'

The Drag Race host deemed being asked to be part of this year's calendar 'quite an honor', especially given the 'iconic' people he got to work with. 'But also just the story of Alice straddling two worlds and coming to terms with these two worlds and learning to navigate... I think it's very telling for anybody who's alive today,' he added.

Nyong'o was glad to be working with Walker, whose cinematic approach to photography agreed with her actor's mind. 

'It's really cool to be in a moment where it's not just about the sexuality of my body but it's about the intelligence, the sensuality, sometimes the innocence, the complication of my experiences as a human being,' she said.

Dukureh, who is better known for her work as an activist who raises awareness about female genital mutilation, child marriage, and violence against women, didn't expect to be asked to take part in the glamorous project. 

'Being here represents the untold stories of millions of girls who would never get an opportunity to do something like this,' she said.

Creative team: Photographer Tim Walker and new Vogue's Enninful were seen discussing the shoot in a behind-the-scenes photo

Setting up for a shot: American actress Sasha Lane (left) as the Mad March Hare and Duckie Tholt as Alice (right)

Tea party: Duckie Thot (left), Slick Woods (right) and Sasha Lane (center) are photographed by Tim Walker on the London set

Dynamic duo: RuPaul and Djimon Hounsou were a perfect pair of vengeful royals

Playing card gardeners: Senegalese-German model Alpha Dia (left) and British model King Owusu (right) in costume

Whimsical: Jaha Dukureh, a Gambian women's right activist, dons an elaborate costume on the London set of the shoot

Long time: This is the 45th addition of the Pirelli calendar, which debuted in 1963 

Backstage: Some of the stars are pictured fitted for their elaborate costumes on the set of the shoot

Weird and wonderful: The wardrobe for the shoot was filled with boots, ballgowns, and accessories for the cast

Twisted fairytale: The elaborate set was filled with elements from Alice In Wonderland

Picture perfect: This set served as the house that becomes too small for Alice after she snacks on an Eat Me cookie