Inside Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant's rocky friendship as a fourth Bridget Jones movie is finally confirmed

Bridget Jones 4 has been officially confirmed - with Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant set to reprise their iconic roles.

The fourth instalment in the acclaimed franchise - based on the books by Helen Fielding - will be titled Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy - with Zellweger returning as the witty singleton, alongside Grant as loverat Daniel Cleaver.

Emma Thompson - who played Doctor Rawlings in 2016's Bridget Jones's Baby is also back, with Chiwetel Ejiofor and White Lotus and One Day star Leo Woodall also set to star, per THR.

To Leslie director Michael Morris will helm the film - based on the 2013 novel of the same name, with the film's script penned by author Fielding.

But things haven't always been perfect between the two leading stars Hugh and Renée - with Hugh's eyebrows being raised when the American actress was originally given the role.

Bridget Jones 4 has been officially confirmed - with Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant set to reprise their iconic roles (seen in 2004) 

But things haven't always been perfect between the two leading stars Hugh and Renée - with Hugh's eyebrows being raised when the American actress was given the role

Hugh had some concerns about an American playing author Helen's British character - saying that he first thought her being cast in the role was a 'stretch'.

Speaking in a 2020 documentary about the movies he said: 'There was a whole scandal about why isn't this a British actress? I didn't know Renée Zellweger, and a Texan playing a British character, it did seem like a stretch.'

He went on to admit his co-star's first attempt at a British accent 'sounded like Princess Margaret.

Hugh added: 'She was told to kind of, well she thought she better loosen it up a bit. Then she came in and it was Princess Margaret having had a stroke. But a week later it was bang on.' 

However they soon became firm friends while working on the film and he has previously said of their off-screen friendship: 'I love Renee. She's one of the few actresses I haven't fallen out with. And we get on very well together. 

'We still exchange long emails. Hers in particular, at least 70 pages each, interesting stuff, but quite hard to decipher. She's a properly good egg and a genius. Did you see her Judy Garland? About as good as acting gets.'

It comes as Bridget Jones fans have vowed to boycott the upcoming fourth movie if beloved character Mark Darcy isn't included. 

Hugh had some concerns about an American playing author Helen's British character - saying that he first thought her being cast in the role was a 'stretch'

Speaking in a 2020 documentary about the movies he said: 'There was a whole scandal about why isn't this a British actress? I didn't know Renée Zellweger, and a Texan playing a British character, it did seem like a stretch'

The noughties romcoms defined a generation, with millions of women identifying with protagonist Bridget, who worried about her weight, her bad habits of smoking and drinking and whether she'd ever find a partner. 

The movies saw Bridget navigate several love triangles, mainly with Mark and Daniel.

In the third film, it appeared Bridget had finally found her happy ending as she settled down with barrister Mark, marrying after welcoming their first child together. 

So with news of a fourth film on the way, fans were excited to see what Bridget and Mark got up to next, only to be left devastated when Colin's name was absent from the cast list.

Fear has since spread across social media that the fourth film will follow the direction of the third book, which tragically killed off Mark and followed Bridget as she navigated life as a widowed mother-of-two. 

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, fans shared: 'Bridget Jones 4 without Colin Firth...no thank you. #colinfirth'; 

'Bridget Jones 4 without Colin Firth, yer no thanks, pointless, he's the only reason I watched & liked the last 3 films, I like him very much.';

'Think me and Mum will swerve The new Bridget Jones film if Colin Firth isn't in it.'; 'bring back colin firth too there's no bridget jones without mark darcy';

'I'm sorry but what's the purpose to make another Bridget Jones's diary movie? Most of all, without Colin and his Mark Darcy, Bridget's only love.';

'The plot of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is that Bridget is a widow after Mark Darcy dies. So are Colin and Hugh's characters gonna be ghosts?';

'Knowing how the Bridget Jones books go a Bridget Jones film with no Colin Firth is concerning.'; 'A Bridget Jones movie without Colin Firth is a no for me. That is all.';

'The disappointment I feel over Colin Firth not appearing in the next Bridget Jones is….overwhelming. Then to find out it's bc she's a widow. I am inconsolable. Please respect my privacy at this trying time.';

'bridget jones diary 4 is happening but it looks like theyre following the book and colin firth wont be in it so whats the point'.

In the third Bridget Jones novel, Mad About The Boy, which is also the title of the upcoming fourth film, it was revealed that Mark had been killed off five years prior in a landmine accident in Sudan, shortly after welcoming a second child with Bridget. 

Readers were left outraged by the shock twist, with author Helen later revealing she made the decision after the death of her father in a car crash made her realise that life has many 'twists and turns'.

She said after the book's release in 2013: 'It's like the keys of a piano isn't it? There are white notes and black notes.

'And there's a tragicomic element in my writing; the happy ending is just where you choose to end a book. Life, with all its twists and turns, carries on beyond it.'

In the novel, Bridget is aged 51 and attempting to move past her grief while caring for children Billy and Mabel, aged seven and five. 

The fourth instalment in the acclaimed franchise - based on the books by Helen Fielding - will be titled Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy - with Zellweger returning as the witty singleton, alongside Grant as loverat Daniel Cleaver 

To Leslie director Michael Morris will helm the film - based on the 2013 novel of the same name, with the film's script penned by author Fielding 

She is still searching for her happy ending and embarks on a romance with a younger man while attempting to navigate the modern dating scene. 

While the identity of the young lover has not yet been announced, it's telling that the cast lineup features Hollywood heartthrob of the moment, Leo Woodall. 

The One Day star, 27, has been confirmed to be starring in the upcoming film in a currently undisclosed part. 

The book's plot suggests there is every chance Leo could also play the role of her younger lover. 

Fans also predicted that if the film was set in the future, Leo may play Bridget's son.