Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant in ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ (2001) official movie trailer | Image: Screengrab from Studiocanal Cinema Club/YouTube
Hollywood stars Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant are set to team up once more for the fourth installment of the British-based romantic film comedy series, “Bridget Jones’ Diary.”
As reported by the Daily Mail UK, the production is underway, and the filming is expected to take place in about three months.
“Filming is being mapped out already, and all of the pre-production is in place. Renée is excited about bringing Bridget back. She adores the character so much. Bridget Jones fever is expected to sweep across London this spring,” they wrote.
The fourth movie is said to be titled “Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy,” and Zellweger and Grant are not the only returning characters, as Emma Thompson, who joined in the third installment, will also come back to reprise her role as Pamela Jones.
Despite not appearing in the third movie after his character Daniel Cleaver reportedly died in a plane crash, Grant will be making his comeback for “Bridget Jones 4,” knowing that at the end of the third film, he had in fact survived.
As for the plot, “Bridget Jones 4” is reported to tell the story of Bridget Jones (Zellweger) as a 51-year-old single mother to two children, navigating the era of social media and dating apps.
If the fourth film will follow the novel it has been adapted from, Bridget is now a widow after Mark Darcy (Colin Firth, who is still unconfirmed to be joining the fourth movie) is tragically killed in a landmine.
Aside from the familiar faces, new cast members are also expected to join the fun, including Leo Woodall from “One Day” and “The White Lotus,” who is rumored to play Bridget’s younger love interest, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, known for his roles in “The Martian and 12 Years A Slave.”
The three previous films, “Bridget Jones Diary” (2001), “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason” (2004), and “Bridget Jones’s Baby” (2016), have received critical acclaim and became rom-com classics upon their releases.
Meanwhile, the release of “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” is slated for a Valentine’s Day 2025 premiere.