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Bridget Jones (film series)

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Bridget Jones
Official film series logo
Based onBridget Jones
by Helen Fielding
StarringSee cast
Distributed by
Release date
2001–present
Running time
323 minutes[1][2][3]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million (Total of 3 films)
Box office$756,402,939 (Total of 3 films)

The Bridget Jones film series consists of romantic comedy films based on the book series of the same name by Helen Fielding. Starring Renée Zellweger in the title role, with an ensemble supporting cast, the films follow the life events of primary characters Bridget Jones, Mark Darcy, and Daniel Cleaver and explores their respective relationships.

The first film was a success at the box office[4] and was met with praise from critics.[5] The second film received generally negative critical reception,[6] but was commercially successful.[7] The third film was met with both critical and commercial success.[8][9] A fourth film was confirmed to be in active development in October 2022.[10]

Films

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Film U.K. release date Director Screenwriters Producers
Bridget Jones's Diary April 13, 2001 (2001-04-13) Sharon Maguire Helen Fielding and Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Jonathan Cavendish
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason November 12, 2004 (2004-11-12) Beeban Kidron Andrew Davies and Helen Fielding and Richard Curtis and Adam Brooks
Bridget Jones's Baby September 16, 2016 (2016-09-16) Sharon Maguire Helen Fielding and Dan Mazer and Emma Thompson Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Debra Hayward
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy February 14, 2025 (2025-02-14) Michael Morris Helen Fielding and Dan Mazer and Abi Morgan Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Jo Wallett

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

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Bridget Jones is a binge drinking and chain smoking thirty-something British woman trying to keep her love life in order while also dealing with her job as a publisher. When she attends a Christmas party with her parents, they try to set her up with their neighbours' son, Mark. After being snubbed by Mark, she starts to fall for her boss Daniel, a handsome man who begins to send her suggestive e-mails that leads to a dinner date. Daniel reveals that he and Mark attended college together, in that time Mark had an affair with his fiancée. Bridget decides to get a new job as a TV presenter after finding Daniel being frisky with a colleague. At a dinner party, she runs into Mark who expresses his affection for her, Daniel claims he wants Bridget back, the two fight over her and Bridget must make a decision who she wants to be with.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

[edit]

Bridget is currently living a happy life with her lawyer boyfriend Mark Darcy, however not only does she start to become threatened and jealous of Mark's new young intern, she is angered by the fact Mark is a Conservative voter. With so many issues already at hand, things get worse for Bridget as her ex-lover, Daniel Cleaver, re-enters her life; the only help she has are her friends and her reliable diary.

Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)

[edit]

Bridget Jones is struggling with her current state of life, including her break up with her love Mark Darcy. As she pushes forward and works hard to find fulfilment in her life seems to do wonders until she meets a dashing and handsome American named Jack Quant. Things from then on go great, until she discovers that she is pregnant but the biggest twist of all, she does not know if Mark or Jack is the father of her child.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025)

[edit]

In October 2022, Fielding told the Radio Times that a sequel was in the works, and the film would loosely adapt her 2013 novel Mad About the Boy.[10] In April 2024, the sequel was confirmed with Michael Morris directing a script by Helen Fielding, Abi Morgan and Dan Mazer. Renée Zellweger and Emma Thompson will reprise their roles from the previous installment, with Hugh Grant reprising his role from the first two films.[11][12]

Principal cast and characters

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List indicators

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in notable roles.

  • An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
  •  A indicates an appearance through archival footage or audio.
  •  P indicates an appearance in onscreen photographs.
Characters Films
Bridget Jones's Diary Bridget Jones:
The Edge of Reason
Bridget Jones's Baby Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
2001 2004 2016 2025
Bridget Jones Renée Zellweger
Mark Darcy Colin Firth TBA
Daniel Cleaver Hugh Grant Hugh GrantP Hugh Grant
Jack Qwant Patrick Dempsey TBA
Colin Jones Jim Broadbent
Pamela Jones Gemma Jones
Jude Shirley Henderson
Tom James Callis
Sharon Sally Phillips
Richard Fink Neil Pearson
Una Alconbury Celia Imrie
Uncle Geoffrey James Faulkner TBA
Admiral Darcy Donald Douglas
Mrs. Darcy Charmian May Shirley Dixon[nb 1]
Lara Lisa Barbuscia
Mr. Fitzherbert Paul Brooke
Natasha Glenville Embeth Davidtz
Julian Patrick Barlow
Perpetua Felicity Montagu
Magda Claire Skinner Jessica Hynes
Rebecca Gillies   Jacinda Barrett
Jed   Paul Nicholls
William "Billy" Darcy Uncredited babies TBA
Miranda Sarah Solemani
Dr. Rawling Emma Thompson
Mabel Darcy TBA
Mr. Wallaker Chiwetel Ejiofor
Roxster Leo Woodall
Rebecca Isla Fisher
Chloe Nico Parker
Nicolette Leila Farzad

Additional crew and production details

[edit]
Film Crew/Detail
Composer Cinematographer Editor Production
companies
Distributing
company
Running time
Bridget Jones's Diary Patrick Doyle Stuart Dryburgh Martin Walsh Universal Pictures,
Little Bird Films,
StudioCanal,
Working Title Films
United International Pictures
Miramax Films
96 minutes
Bridget Jones:
The Edge of Reason
Harry Gregson-Williams Adrian Biddle Greg Hayden Miramax Films,
Little Bird Films,
StudioCanal,
Working Title Films
Universal Pictures 108 minutes
Bridget Jones's Baby Craig Armstrong Andrew Dunn Melanie Ann Oliver Miramax,
Little Bird Films,
StudioCanal,
Perfect World Pictures,
Working Title Films
123 minutes
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy TBA TBA TBA Working Title Films
Miramax
StudioCanal
TBA

Reception

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Box office performance

[edit]
Film Box office gross Box office ranking Budget Ref.
North America Other
territories
Worldwide All time
North America
All time
worldwide
Bridget Jones's Diary $71,543,427 $210,386,368 $281,929,795 #996 #421 $25 million [4]
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason $40,226,215 $222,294,509 $262,520,724 #1,895 #458 $40 million [7]
Bridget Jones's Baby $24,252,420 $187,700,000 $211,952,420 #2,893 #642 $35 million [8]
Totals $136,022,062 $620,380,877 $756,402,939 $100 million [13]

Critical and public response

[edit]
Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Bridget Jones's Diary 81% (154 reviews)[5] 66 (33 reviews)[14] B+[15]
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason 27% (151 reviews)[6] 44 (37 reviews)[16] B+[15]
Bridget Jones's Baby 78% (211 reviews)[9] 59 (42 reviews)[17] B+[15]

Accolades

[edit]

Bridget Jones's Diary

[edit]

Renée Zellweger was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, the Empire Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (shared with Colin Firth), the Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, the Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry (shared with Hugh Grant), the Teen Choice Award for Choice Liplock (shared with Grant), and the Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress.

Firth won the European Film Awards Audience Award for Best Actor and the European Film Award – Jameson People's Choice Award – Best Actor and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and the Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Grant won the Evening Standard British Film Awards' Peter Sellers Award for Comedy and was nominated for the Empire Award for Best British Actor, the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and the European Film Award – Jameson People's Choice Award – Best Actor. Richard Curtis, Andrew Davies, and Helen Fielding were nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and the Satellite Award for Best Film – Musical or Comedy.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

[edit]

The film was voted Evening Standard Readers' Film of 2004. It was on the shortlist for the Orange Film of the Year Award at the 2005 BAFTAs. For her performance as Bridget Jones, Zellweger gained another Golden Globe Award nomination and won the People's Choice Awards for Favorite Leading Lady in 2005.

Bridget Jones's Baby

[edit]

The film was nominated at the 2017 Diversity in Media Awards for Movie of the Year and won the ASPAC Award.

Home media

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The first film on VHS was released in 2001 containing over 35 minutes of bonus material which includes: Deleted Scenes, Exclusive Interviews, Bridget's Guide to “Getting It Right”. There was also a VHS of "The Making of Bridget Jones". In 2001 the film was released on DVD containing brand new bonus material and in 2011 a Blu-ray version of the film was released. A Collective Edition of the film was released in 2004 with new bonus material including; The Bridget Phenomenon, The Young And The Mateless, Portrait Of The Makeup Artist, Domestic and International TV Spots, Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason Theatrical Trailer, Bridget Jones's Diary Reviews and A Guide to Bridget Britishism.

The second film was released on DVD in 2004 with a variety of bonus features.

Notes

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  1. ^ Non-speaking role.

References

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  1. ^ "Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)". British Board of Film Classification. July 3, 2001. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  2. ^ "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)". British Board of Film Classification. February 1, 2004. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  3. ^ "Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)". British Board of Film Classification. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Bridget Jones's Diary". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Bridget Jones's Baby". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Hibbs, James (31 October 2022). "Bridget Jones author confirms she's working on fourth movie". Radio Times. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  11. ^ Grobar, Matt (9 April 2024). "Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant & Emma Thompson To Return For 'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy'; Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall Also Set". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  12. ^ Kit, Boys (9 April 2024). "Renée Zellweger Set to Return for New 'Bridget Jones' Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Bridget Jones Movies at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  14. ^ "Bridget Jones's Diary: reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c "CinemaScore". Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  16. ^ "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason: Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  17. ^ "Bridget Jones's Baby: Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 14, 2016.