Renée Zellweger To Return for Fourth ‘Bridget Jones’ Movie

Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant are also returning, while Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall are joining the cast for the movie, based on Helen Fielding’s book.

Renée Zellweger in 'Bridget Jones's Diary.' Photo: Universal Pictures.

Preview:

Renée Zellweger will be back as Bridget Jones.
Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson are also returning.
The movie will adapt Helen Fielding’s third Bridget book.

It has been nearly a decade since Helen Fielding’s character Bridget Jones was on our screens –– when last we saw the woman played by Renée Zellweger, she was happily married to Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy and had given birth to her first child.

But though that seemingly wrapped Bridget’s story up in a bow, even before the movie landed, Fielding had plans for the future. ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’, the third book based on the author’s columns, arrived in 2013 and threw the character for a loop (see more on that below).

Now, Universal and Working Title have set the tale up as the latest ‘Bridget Jones’ movie, with Zellweger locking down a deal to star.

Bridget Jones's Diary
"All women keep score... Only the great ones put it in writing."
68
R1 hr 37 minApr 13th, 2001
Showtimes & Tickets
Watch Bridget Jones's Diary Online

What’s the story of ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’?

Renée Zellweger in 'Bridget Jones's Baby.' Photo: Universal Pictures.

Based on the third book in Fielding’s series, ‘Mad About the Boy’ picks up with Bridget in her early fifties, as she navigates the challenges of modern life while juggling the responsibilities of motherhood.

Here, though is the big problem –– and it’s a SPOILER ALERT for anyone who hasn’t read the book –– ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’ sees the title character as a single mother to two small children, after the tragic death of Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth in the other films). Bridget will emerge from her all-encompassing grief to have to figure out dating in a world that has moved on since she was last out there.

Who else is in ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’?

(L to R) Emma Thompson and Renée Zellweger in 'Bridget Jones's Baby.' Photo: Universal Pictures.

Alongside Zellweger, Hugh Grant will return as the dashing Daniel Cleaver, who is likely a little less roguish now he’s an older man (but don’t hold your breath). And we’ll see more of Emma Thompson, who played Dr. Rawlings, Bridget’s OB/GYN in ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’. We have to assume that she’s still part of Bridget’s life.

New to the story this time are Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall (the latter of which appeared in ‘The White Lotus’ and more recently, in ‘One Day’), but Deadline’s story on the casting makes no mention of who they’re playing.

Who is making ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’?

Andrea Riseborough as Leslie in director Michael Morris' 'To Leslie.'

Michael Morris, whose last film ‘To Leslie’ was the subject of some controversy over star Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar campaign, will direct. Morris also has experience from TV series such as ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘Extrapolations’ and ‘Bloodline’.

No word on who is writing the script this time, though Thompson co-wrote the screenplay for the last movie.