Everything we know about Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

The British rom-com is set for a later-in-life resurgence as Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant return for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy — also known as Bridget Jones 4.

The first movie in the series, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was released in 2001 and based on author Helen Fielding’s book of the same name. It introduced us to the story’s eponymous heroine: an unlucky-in-love 32-year-old young professional living in London who spends her time looking for the perfect partner.

After surviving a few embarrassing encounters on the social dating scene, Jones ultimately finds what she’s after with not one but two men in Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy and Hugh Grant’s Daniel Cleaver.

Her romantic life continued to be chronicled in two sequels, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason in 2004, based on the book of the same name, and Bridget Jones’s Baby in 2016, which took its cues from a series of fictional columns Fielding wrote as Jones for various newspapers.

In 2022, Fielding confirmed that work on a fourth movie was in development and in August 2024 news came that filming had officially wrapped — but what will it be about, who will be in it and when can we expect to watch it for ourselves? Here’s what we know so far.

When will Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy be released?

Bridget Jones 4 will be released in UK cinemas on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2025.

A teaser poster for the sequel was released online in August 2024, confirming its release date and showing Bridget back with a brand new diary for a new chapter of her life.

In 2022, Fielding revealed she was working on a script for the fourth movie based on her 2013 book Bridget Jones’s Diary: Mad About The Boy. Filming took place in London between May and August 2024.

Is there a trailer for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy?

Unfortunately, there’s no trailer for Bridget Jones 4 — not online at least.

Shortly after news arrived that the movie had wrapped, a short teaser featuring Bridget, Grant’s Daniel Cleaver and more familiar faces appeared before theatrical screenings of It Ends With Us.

Hopefully, the teaser will find its way onto this page soon enough.

What is the plot for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy?

Bridget Jones 4 will be based on Fielding’s 2013’s book Bridget Jones’s Diary: Mad About The Boy and will feature the return of a familiar old flame.

By the end of Bridget Jones’s Diary, Firth’s Mark Darcy had beaten Grant’s shady Daniel Cleaver to win Bridget’s heart but only after some hilariously awkward fistfights.

2004’s The Edge of Reason saw the pair’s relationship put to the test but ended in their engagement and impending marriage. However, by film three, Bridget had found herself newly single, pregnant and unsure who the father of her new baby really was.

As per the plot of Mad About The Boy, Bridget Jones 4 will reintroduce us to Bridget as a widow following the accidental death of Mark Darcy some years earlier. As a result, she’s found herself back on the dating scene as a single mum in her 50s — but that won't stop her from getting out there and experiencing everything digital dating has to offer as her quest for love continues.

Who is in the cast of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy?

Zellweger will reprise her role as Bridget Jones, with Grant back as her former love interest Daniel Cleaver and Thompson playing her despairing obstetrician. Firth will not be returning as Mark Darcy, following his character’s death.

In a separate chat with People, Grant said that fans can expect humour and a lot of heart from the upcoming sequel. He explained: “It is very moving as well as funny. It’s partly based on Helen Fielding’s experiences of bringing up two children by herself after her husband died. And so Bridget is bringing up two kids and wondering whether she should ever go back to dating.”

Apparently, Grant was such a big fan of the script he decided to get a bit hands-on and “write some scenes” to help his character Cleaver fit in the best way possible.

“I loved the script — it made me cry, and I wanted to help with this one,” he told Vanity Fair in a separate chat. “But really there’s no part for Daniel Cleaver in it at all. They wanted him in it, and in the end, they’d done something I wasn’t crazy about... I’m not in a lot, I did a week’s work, that’s it. But when you see the film, you’ll be very moved.”

Meanwhile, 12 Years A Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor and One Day actor Leo Woodall have joined the cast in undisclosed roles. Other newcomers include How To Train Your Dragon star Nico Parker, Wedding Crashers’ Isla Fisher, Anatomy of a Scandal’s Josette Simon and Black Mirror actor Leila Farzad. The roles of each remain a mystery for now.

They’ll join a batch of returning stars including Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones as Bridget’s parents and Bridget’s pals Sally Phillips as Shazza, Shirley Henderson as Jude, James Callis as Tom and Sarah Solemani as Miranda.

Neil Pearson, Joanna Scanlan and Celia Imrie will also return.

Who directed Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy?

Mad About the Boy will be directed by British filmmaker Michael Morris, who helmed 2022 drama To Leslie, as well as episodes of Better Call Saul, House of Cards and 13 Reasons Why.

2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary was directed by Sharon Maguire, who returned to helm threequel Bridget Jones’s Baby in 2016 after filmmaker Beeban Kidron directed Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason in 2004.

The first two films in the series were co-written by Fielding, Andrew Davies and Four Weddings and a Funeral director Richard Curtis, with Bridget Jones’s Baby penned by Fielding, Dan Mazer and actor Emma Thompson.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy will be released on 14 February 2025