Washington [US]: Actor Renee Zellweger is back as the iconic Bridget Jones in ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’, the fourth instalment in the beloved rom-com franchise.
The film, which releases its first official trailer on Wednesday marks a significant new chapter in Bridget’s life, introducing a fresh love interest and exploring the challenges of single motherhood and personal growth.
The film is set to stream on Peacock on February 13, 2024.
The upcoming movie picks up with Bridget now in her early 50s. Widowed for four years after her husband Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth) tragically died during a humanitarian mission in Sudan, Bridget is raising her two young children, nine-year-old Billy and four-year-old Mabel, on her own.
Despite her years of navigating personal and romantic hurdles, Bridget finds herself in an emotional limbo, struggling to move on from the past.
As Bridget juggles the demands of work, parenting, and her complicated love life, she is surrounded by an eclectic group of friends, family, and colleagues–many of whom are eager to push her back into the dating scene.
Among those encouraging her is the ever-supportive Dr Rawlings (Emma Thompson), Bridget’s gynaecologist, who plays a significant role in her journey of self-discovery and moving forward.
In her attempt to move past her grief, Bridget returns to work and even explores dating apps, where she meets a charming and enthusiastic younger man, played by Leo Woodall.
Their budding romance brings fresh excitement to Bridget’s life, but it also comes with its own set of challenges, as she faces judgment from the “perfect” mums at her children’s school and copes with her son Billy’s emotional struggles following his father’s death.
The film also introduces new dynamics with a series of awkward interactions between Bridget and Billy’s science teacher (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), while she tries to balance her responsibilities at home and work with her new romantic interests.
Alongside Zellweger, returning cast members include Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Sally Phillips, and James Callis, with new faces like Isla Fisher, Josette Simon, and Leila Farzad joining the ensemble, as per Deadline.
‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’ is based on the third book of the ‘Bridget Jones’ series by Helen Fielding, who also co-wrote the screenplay, with contributions from Abi Morgan and Dan Mazer.
Directed by Michael Morris (To Leslie), the film is produced by Working Title Films and is expected to have a theatrical air, despite its streaming debut.
The movie follows the massive success of its predecessors, including ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ (2001), ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason’ (2004), and ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’ (2016), which collectively grossed over USD 800 million worldwide, as per Deadline.
As fans prepare to revisit Bridget’s world, the trailer hints that this could be her final on-screen adventure, making it a poignant conclusion to a beloved franchise.