Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Poised to Conquer UK Box Office

LONDON — With the Oscars approaching, cinemas are gearing up for a surge in interest around one highly anticipated film: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. The fourth installment in Helen Fielding’s beloved franchise is expected to become the biggest homegrown hit of 2025 in the UK, though it will bypass U.S. theaters and go straight to streaming.

“We’re anticipating it to be one of the biggest titles of the year in the UK, the biggest British film of the year, and the biggest box office for the first half of 2025,” said Robert Mitchell, director of theatrical insights at Gower Street Analytics.

Renee Zellweger reprises her role as the hapless romantic, now navigating life as a widow and single mother after the death of Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). The film introduces new love interests, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall, and sees the return of Hugh Grant as the infamous Daniel Cleaver.

Pre-sales in the UK are outpacing major blockbusters like Barbie, with Vue cinemas reporting particularly strong demand. “It is tracking to be the biggest ever Bridget Jones film,” said Eduardo Leal, Vue’s group regional director of screen content.

In contrast, the film’s U.S. release strategy diverges sharply. Universal Pictures and Working Title opted to release Mad About the Boy directly on Peacock, reflecting past trends in the franchise’s diminishing U.S. box office performance. While earlier films saw 25% of their global earnings in the U.S., that figure dropped to just 11% by 2016.

“This is the end… we don’t get to do this anymore,” Zellweger said, reflecting on the emotional weight of the film and Colin Firth’s final appearances as Mark Darcy. The actress revealed she was deeply affected by Darcy’s death, even beyond the screen. “I was a crazy person mourning this fictional character. I was weeping,” she admitted.

The film’s Valentine’s Day release and female-skewed appeal position it as a counter to other major releases like Captain America: Brave New World. “I think Bridget is perfectly placed counter-programming to Captain America,” Mitchell said.

Early reviews praise the franchise’s reinvention and its exploration of themes like grief and age-gap relationships. The film’s success could also highlight a growing trend of female-led stories finding resonance at the box office, following hits starring Anne Hathaway and Nicole Kidman.

As the UK prepares for what promises to be a record-breaking opening, fans worldwide will have to stream the film to see how Bridget’s story concludes. Whether this strategy pays off remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Bridget Jones still holds a special place in the hearts of audiences.