Bridget Jones is back, baby, and here’s your streaming PSA of the month: If you don’t have Peacock, then the new Bridget Jones movie is the reason to subscribe. The fourth installment, appropriately titled Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, is the final film in the rom-com franchise, and you needn’t have seen the other three to have an appreciation for this one (though it does help).
The movie is based on the novel by Helen Fielding, which came out more than a decade ago. Now, it’s getting the final film treatment with all the main players returning to send Bridget off in style.
Two-time Oscar winner Renée Zellweger returns (obviously) as Bridget Jones, who is now widowed from Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) after he was killed on a humanitarian mission in the Sudan. (Even so, Firth will appear in the new movie.) Now, Bridget is a single mom to 9-year-old Billy and 4-year-old Mabel. Hugh Grant is hilariously back as her former lover and forever friend, Daniel Cleaver, in addition to other beloved actors like Emma Thompson (as gynecologist Dr. Rawlings), Jim Broadbent (Bridget’s dad), Gemma Jones (Bridget’s mom), and more.
Meanwhile, White Lotus and One Day heartthrob Leo Woodall joins the cast for the final Bridget Jones movie as a potential love interest for our heroine as well as Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), who plays Billy’s science teacher.
Given the high-profile cast and beloved story, director Michael Morris (13 Reasons Why, Shameless, Halt and Catch Fire) understandably felt the pressure to deliver.
“The moment you go, ‘Wait a second, is this really the Bridget Jones franchise that you grew up watching? And is it really the last one in the series…’ That’s too big,” he tells Glamour over an early morning Zoom from London. “It’s too big to think of when you’re also trying to make a film. But take away all the incredible Bridget Jones-ness of it, and this is a film that I would be burning to make no matter what.”
It’s a surprising admission from a director best known for directing more serious fare in his career, but that’s a good thing. As a result, the film is emotional without being manipulative, witty and smart, and above all, sends Bridget Jones off on the right note. “This is a film that I feel like has the opportunity to touch on things that we don’t often get to touch on in any film, let alone in a story/rom-com franchise,” he says.
It’s also why Morris says big names like Grant, Firth, Thompson, Broadbent, and more wanted to make sure they were available to come back. “Almost everybody in this was also doing other projects,” he says. “It speaks to the love people have for the franchise. No one wanted to let the last Bridget Jones happen without them being part of it.”
You’ll be happy to know that the new cast more than delivers, especially Bridget Jones’s kids, Billy (played by Casper Knopf) and Mabel (played by Mila Jankovic). “Casper embodies something absolutely Colin Firth-esque about him, especially the way he carries himself,” Morris says. “We talked a lot about how Colin is in the first film, and Casper’s able to do that, which is a very uncommon for young actor. And Mila is one of the few children I’ve ever worked with who isn’t trying to ever be cute or say anything cutely. She’s just her. That to me is so Bridget.”
Casting aside, it’s the various messages in the film that will resonate, from the grief of losing a loved one, to aging, to what happens when you listen to everyone’s well-meaning advice.
“I think the most powerful thread in this to me is how easy it is to lock yourself away when something awful happens and how easy it is to sort of say, ‘No, my basement is a big enough world for me now. That’s all I need. Fine,’” Morris says. “And how actually, what we need to do is to find our own way to respect the thing that we’ve lost and never forget it. Keep it with us, but allow us to absorb it and step back into the world.”
Adds Zellweger, “It’s not what you might expect where we left off in the third film/book. It’s not the happy ending that we’re set up to look forward to. It’s a bit different, and I think this film is exploring the things that life throws at you that are of deeper consequence than some of the things that Bridget’s sort of tried to navigate in the past.”
Zellweger also tells Glamour that as a result, she walked away with a sense of joy because holding dear what’s closest to you is “what gets you through life’s challenges and into new happiness.”
For more with Zellweger, Morris, and Leo Woodall, come back here on Thursday as they reveal more secrets from behind the scenes.
On that note, there’s a football game to play today and another really charming rom-com movie (starring the one-and-only Scott Foley) coming your way this week, so check out the full guide below. I’ll see you back here next week to preview the new season of The White Lotus. Pack your bags; it’s quite the ride.
Sunday, February 9
Puppy Bowl XXI (Max/Animal Planet/Discovery/TBS/truTV/discovery+): The longest running call-to-adoption television event returns for the 21st year with 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states and two countries as they compete in the cutest competition of the year. 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT/11 a.m. PT and streaming on Max
Super Bowl LIX (Fox): The Kansas City Chiefs go for a three-peat (which would make history) as they face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of the 2023 Super Bowl. 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Fox, and streaming on Fubo with a free trial to new subscribers, as well as on Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service
The Floor (Fox): Hosted by Rob Lowe, contestants must stand their ground on a massive, interactive LED game floor of squares, each representing a different trivia category. Approximately 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT
Monday, February 10
The Bachelor (ABC): On the agenda this week: a one-on-one date in Vegas where of course there’s a bungee jump activity off a hotel (honestly, it’s time to find a new activity at this point). But then, another woman must suddenly leave the show. There’s also a bonus group date with a coveted one-on-one dinner on the line featuring reality TV icon Lisa Vanderpump and some furry friends. The best part is for sure going to be when Grant surprises the ladies with a prom night alongside some friendly faces from The Golden Bachelorette. If Charles L. is not part of this, then we immediately need a re-do. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu
Tuesday, February 11
Muslim Matchmaker (Hulu): In this new unscripted series from ABC News Studios and Indian Matchmaking creator Smriti Mundhra’s Meralta Films, matchmakers Hoda Abrahim and Yasmin Elhady are on a mission to help Muslim American singles find their lifelong partner while staying true to their faith. In order to do that, they swear by their cardinal “Rules of Three”: three dates, three months, and 300 questions. At 30 minutes each, it’s a fun and easy binge. Streaming
Wednesday, February 12
Summer House (Bravo): The supersized season 9 premiere (it’s 75 minutes) gets going as the housemates return to the Hamptons for another summer. First up: Lindsay arrives with a big secret that will change the house forever, and Jesse feels a spark with new housemate Lexi. However, the tension between West and Ciara makes him hesitant to pursue a relationship in the house. 9 p.m. ET/PT, 8 p.m. CT
Thursday, February 13
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock): The romantic comedy’s final film is based on Helen Fielding’s novel from 2013, and it goes out on a high note. Oscar winner Renée Zellweger returns to the role, which finds Bridget a widow after her husband, Mark (Colin Firth), was killed on a humanitarian mission in the Sudan. She’s now a single mother to 9-year-old Billy and 4-year-old Mabel and stuck in a state of emotional limbo, raising her children with help from her loyal friends and even her former lover, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). The White Lotus’s Leo Woodall stars as Bridget’s potential new love interest, and Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Billy’s science teacher. Streaming
La Dolce Villa (Netflix): Eric (played by the ever-charming Scott Foley) is a successful businessman who travels to Italy to stop his daydreaming daughter Olivia from restoring a crumbling villa. However, the Italian countryside has different plans for him that might change his life forever. Violante Placido, Maia Reficco, and Giuseppe Futia also star in this perfect Valentine’s Day weekend film that’s a mix of Eat Pray Love, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Falling Inn Love. Streaming
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage (CBS/Paramount+): Young Sheldon alums Zoe Perry and Matt Hobby guest star as Mary and Pastor Jeff, respectively. In the episode, titled “A House Divided,” Audrey and Mary go to war over CeeCee and Georgie, and Mandy can’t help but take sides. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT
My Fault: London (Prime Video): The romantic drama is the British adaptation of the global sensation Culpa Mia (My Fault) and based on the first book of Mercedes Ron’s bestselling Culpables trilogy. It stars Asha Banks (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder) and Matthew Broome (The Buccaneers). Here’s the synopsis: When Noah’s mother, Ella, falls in love with the very wealthy William, the two move from America to London to live with William and his son Nick. Upon arrival, the 18-year-old Noah meets bad boy Nick, and there is an immediate attraction between the two. Noah spends the summer adjusting to her new life, making new friends from Nick’s various circles, and navigating a complicated relationship with him while they fight to keep the attraction at bay. But unbeknownst to Noah, her estranged father has been released from prison and starts tracking her every move. Noah will ultimately be forced to deal with her devastating past while falling in love for the first time. Streaming
Cobra Kai: The Finale Event (Netflix): In part three, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat after a shocking result in the Sekai Taikai. Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.
Alicia Hannah-Kim, who plays the formidable and ruthless South Korean sensei, Kim Da-Eun, tells Glamour that everyone gets closure in these last remaining episodes. “There’s a lot of nostalgia in the happiness for some characters and bittersweet redemption in closing old wounds for others,” Hannah-Kim teases.
“We’ve been able to delve into her past and unravel her complicated relationships with her grandfather, her mentor Kreese and her students,” she continues. “I feel like she’s evolved in a most unexpected way by unlocking this connection with Chozen and finding true purpose in the aftermath of Kwon’s death.” As a result, playing this softer side, especially for such a hard and unforgiving character, was “the most fun challenge for me as an actor in season six.”
Friday, February 14
Yellowjackets (Showtime): Hilary Swank guest stars this season, along with Joel McHale. The season will debut with two episodes on Friday, February 14 on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan before its on-air debut on Sunday, February 16. The 10-episode third season will pick up in the aftermath of the dramatic season two finale, and stars Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Kevin Alves, Sarah Desjardins and Simone Kessell, with Elijah Wood returning in a recurring role. Streaming
The Gorge (Apple TV+): Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, along with Sigourney Weaver, star in this genre-blending, high-action love story about two elite operatives (Teller and Taylor-Joy) who are stationed in towers on opposite sides of a massive, classified gorge, guarding against a mysterious evil within. Bonding from afar, they must unite when an unprecedented threat emerges, testing their courage and connection as they fight to protect humanity. Streaming
Goldie (Apple TV+): The animated series is a larger-than-life celebration of uniqueness and embracing your true self. The 13 half-hour episodes follow Goldie, a giant girl with a big heart, as she sets off on epic adventures with her best friends in their beloved town of Boysenberg. Together, they learn that being different is something to celebrate, and that there’s space for everyone in this world—even giants. Streaming
The post What to Watch the Week of February 9: The New Bridget Jones Movie Is Not What You’re Expecting appeared first on Glamour.
