My Best Friend’s Weddingis one of the best comedies of the 1990s, anda sequel is now in the works, which could make a career first for Julia Roberts. Through several of thebest romantic comediesof all time, Roberts distinguished herself as a sharp, funny, and charismatic performer alongside her excellent dramatic work.
A sequel toMy Best Friend’s Weddingis currently being written by Celine Song,the Academy Award-nominated writer and director ofPast Livesand this year’sMaterialists. Song has a unique voice and style that blends romance with pertinent contemporary themes of belonging, all while intersecting with broader social ideas.
Song’s work has tended to be headier than one would expect from a sequel toMy Best Friend’s Wedding, butMaterialists, while less of a comedy than the marketing suggested, proved that she has skill in the genre. WithDermot Mulroney rumored to return,it is only a matter of time before Roberts' involvement is made clear.
Julia Roberts Has Never Made A Sequel To One Of Her Movies
The Only Straight Sequels Roberts Has Done Have Been Ensemble Pieces
Julia Roberts' best movieswhere she played a main role have never received sequels in her nearly 40-year career in film.The award-winning actor first broke through inMystic Pizzabefore becoming a global sensation for her role inPretty Woman,which went on to earn $463 million against a $14 million budget.
Throughout the 1990s and the 2000s, Roberts became one of the most in-demand actors in the world.She starred in comedies and dramasalike and was a highly visible celebrity. However, despite making dozens of films, no sequels to titles likeErin BrockovichorAmerica’s Sweetheartswere ever made.
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My Best Friend’s Wedding
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Granted, there are a few exceptions to this.Roberts played a notable part inOcean’s Elevenas Tess Ocean, and reprised the role inOcean’s Twelve.However, she was at the bottom of the cast list of those posters, and it is difficult to think of them as Julia Roberts movies rather thanSteven Soderbergh movies, or George Clooney movies.
Adaptations of properties that have already been made should also be acknowledged. Roberts appeared inHook, which was a sequel to thePeter Panstories, and also appeared in remakes and reboots.She also appeared in bothValentine’s DayandMother’s Day,which were thematically connected.
With all of that said,the closest that has occurred to a sequel to one of Roberts' own films was in 1999.This was largely a marketing choice and helped to make said film a box office success.
Runaway Bridewas presented as a thematic follow-up toPretty Woman.The movie reunited the stars ofPretty Womanwith the director, Garry Marshall, for a new romantic comedy. This was a similar method to theJamie Lee Curtis movieFierce Creatures, which attempted to follow up on the success ofA Fish Called Wanda.
The Richard Gere and Roberts-starringRunaway Bridewas not a traditional sequel, butit was sold on the appeal of Roberts, Gere, and Marshall coming back together.This upcomingMy Best Friend’s Wedding 2could be a much more traditional sequel for the star, although details of the film are still forthcoming.
Julia Roberts Isn’t Confirmed For My Best Friend’s Wedding 2, But She Must Come Back
Details On The Film Are Still Scarce
The sequel toMy Best Friend’s Weddingis still early in development, so the cast has not yet been confirmed. However,it does not seem possible to make a sequel to the film without bringing back Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and most importantly, Roberts.
The cast of the original film is what made it so beloved, and it would be hard to replicate that feel without them.Finding out what has happened to Jules in the intervening decades would be the biggest appealof the film. Without Roberts, it would be hard to justify this new project.
Roberts has been more focused on dramas in recent years, but she has also done several comedies. TheIndonesia-filmedTicket to Paradisesaw her starring alongside George Clooney in a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a wedding.
In addition,the involvement of someone like Song might entice Roberts back.Song has become one of the more interesting creatives in contemporary Hollywood and, whileMaterialistsdid not receive the same praise asPast Lives, she has a distinct voice that could help this sequel feel very fresh and original.
Granted,there are ways to do sequels without bringing back the original cast.Twisterswas a sequel toTwister, another 1990s hit, but had a new cast and very few connections to the original. There have actually been severalsequels without the original castthroughout the years, although it is notable that few of these have been romantic comedies.
Despite not yet having a sequel,My Best Friend’s Weddinghas already been remade twice. A Chinese remake was released in 2016, and a Spanish-language Mexican remake came out in 2019.
Romantic comedies are often built on their star power, charisma, and chemistry, all of which require the original cast to return.Exceptions to this have tended to be straight-to-video releases, likeMean Girls 2. It is then imperative that Roberts come back forMy Best Friend’s Wedding 2and break this long-running career streak.
A sequel toMy Best Friend’s Weddingneeds Roberts. Julianne “Jules” Potter is one of the best characters in romantic comedy history, andseeing her return after all of these years would feel so familiar and yet fresh. Having the rest of the cast is important, but it’s hard to see how this sequel could work without its leading lady.
