Flying in the face of Hollywood’s conventional wisdom, the R-rated, female-fronted comedy Bridesmaids became a box office sensation last summer without the help of an A-list star. It subsequently launched long-time character actress Melissa McCarthy thanks to her sidesplitting and fearless performance as an unrepentant yet mature tomboy. But many marveled that the film’s star and co-writer Kristen Wiig did not garner more notice for her capable and hilarious lead role. And now Wiig has revealed some shocking news, telling The Hollywood Reporter that she and Bridesmaid co-writer Annie Mumolo are not involved in the proposed Bridesmaids sequel, saying simply:
“Annie and I aren’t planning a sequel. We are writing something else.”
Universal is not likely to let this go. As Bridesmaids pulled in more than $288,000,000 worldwide—more than any other Judd Apatow venture—they’re practically salivating for its sure-to-score sequel. And while Universal chief Ron Meyer is continuing to court Wiig on the matter—offering a rumored eight-figure deal—it’s possible that Universal may ultimately proceed without her. One Universal rep made an ambiguous assurance, “We are over the moon with the success of Bridesmaids, and if we do a sequel we want to get it right…We are talking to filmmakers now about concepts, and if the right one emerges, we’ll move forward.” Noticeably, no mention is made as to what cast and crew would be returning, though it’s assumed Universal would want McCarthy back, which would likely earn the sought-after actress a healthy paycheck of her own.
Still, Wiig’s got solid support in her corner as Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow is rumored to be blocking Bridesmaids 2 development unless Wiig and Mumulo are on board. But all Apatow has said publicly is:
“The key is we have to come up with an idea that is as good or better than the first one…We don’t want to do it unless it can be great. I don’t think anyone has had the brain space to think about it yet. Hopefully that can begin this year.”
It seems Apatow may be using his power to give some space or more aptly some time to Wiig, who aside from regularly appearing on Saturday Night Live is set to hit theaters in 2012, appearing once-again opposite handsome man Jon Hamm in the indie dramedy Friends With Kids, as well as fronting the dark comedy Imogene. Additionally, she’s said to be gearing up for her directorial debut, an adaptation of the quirky comedic novel Clown Girl, which may be what she and Mumulo are so secrely collaborating on. So simply put, she has a lot on her plate.
One thing that Bridesmaids fans can take comfort in is that Apatow, who shepherded this comedy few believed in to international acclaim, seems determined to only move forward with a sequel if it’s something worth watching, and that likely means complete with the cast we all took to the first-time around. In the meantime, we’ll just have to hold on.
Would you want to see a Wiig-less Bridesmaids sequel?