Hugh Grant has confirmed that his co-star Colin Firth will not be returning for the fourth installment of the ‘Bridget Jones’ franchise. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Grant confirmed that the beloved character of Mark Darcy has been killed off in the book upon which the film is based, leaving Bridget a grieving widow.
Grant expressed his sadness over Firth’s absence and described the script as ‘very sad’ while also praising it as ‘very funny.’ He said, ‘It’s based on trying to bring up two children alone, and then [it’s] all mixed up in the Bridget Jones [style] comedy, so it’s very sad, as well as very funny. It has me in tears.’
Fans had speculated about Firth’s involvement since the book’s release in 2013, and Grant’s confirmation has confirmed their fears. Grant himself will be returning to the franchise, reprising his role as love rival Daniel Cleaver, who miraculously survived a plane crash at the end of ‘Bridget Jones’ Baby.’ However, Grant suggests that his appearance in the Michael Morris-directed film will be limited, saying, ‘It just suddenly sprang out of, you know, Helen writing another book. Hopefully, we’re not too ancient. I don’t do much now, I’ve just got a few scenes.’
Despite Firth’s absence, Grant reassures fans that this installment is set to be ‘the best’ of the four. ‘I’ll tell you what, I think this script for the fourth Bridget is the best one of the four. And, in fact, one of the best scripts I have read in a long time,’ he shared. The film is written by Fielding with contributions from Abi Morgan and Dan Mazer. Emma Thompson, who played Dr Rawlings in the 2016 film, will also be returning, as well as 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor and One Day actor Leo Woodall.
With production set to start in May, a movie source told the Daily Mail that Zellweger is ‘excited about bringing Bridget back.’ ‘She adores the character so much. Bridget Jones fever is expected to sweep across London this spring.’ In the book, Jones strikes up a steamy affair with a hot 30-year-old man (perhaps played by Woodall) as she decides to play the dating field again. In typical Bridget Jones fashion, chaos ensues. ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy’ is set to come out on Valentine’s Day, 2025.
