As someone who sparked to Paul Feig's Bridesmaids back when it first played SXSW last year in no small part because it gave Kristen Wiig the showcase she deserved, it's hard to imagine a Bridesmaids sequel going forward without the SNL star. But with Wiig reportedly reluctant to reprise her role for another go-round with the Universal hit that seems a very good possibility, according to The Hollywood Reporter. And so I ask, fellow Bridesmaids fans: Who wants a Bridesmaids 2 without Wiig?
The better question is, who wants a Bridesmaids 2? The first film struck a chord because it was fresh, a welcome respite from the usual rom-coms farted out by mainstream Hollywood. That came from Wiig and co-writer Annie Mumolo, who lent Bridesmaids an authentic sweetness borne from personal experience and their real life friendship and, with director Feig, tapped a bevy of ultra talented (and under-utilized) supporting funny ladies -- elements rare in studio productions, let alone sequels or adaptations aiming to recreate some formula of success.
Which is what a Bridesmaids sequel would be, of course: an attempt to keep the streak going. The $288 million hit was a gamble that paid off for Universal, and this is a studio whose chief has not, shall we say, played coy about his overriding agenda of making money.
But, per THR's report, Wiig doesn't seem anxious to don the awful pink dress again, no matter how much money Universal head Ron Meyer is said to dangle in front of her. And this is perhaps the best argument against even attempting another Bridesmaids movie. If one of the driving creative forces behind Bridesmaids has moved on to other projects and isn't compelled to make a sequel, why should anyone else demand more?
Maybe you want to see where cast breakout and likely sequel star Melissa McCarthy goes in another Bridesmaids story. Maybe you just want another "Hold On" moment to share with your girlfriends or watch grown women poop in the street. Maybe that would all work, again, if Universal, who are "talking with filmmakers now about concepts" for a sequel, are able to recapture lightning in a bottle. And goodness knows this happens all the time with action franchises (Bourne and Bond, I'm looking at you). But wouldn't you rather see another Bridesmaids-esque film instead of another actual Bridesmaids -- a different, original story that tells the experience of real modern women without skimping on sweetness or raunch?
Weigh in below!
• Universal Considering 'Bridesmaids' Sequel Without Kristen Wiig [THR]