Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Release Date: November 12th, 2004 (limited); November 19th (nationwide)

Release Date Notes: (2/21/04) The original target date for this movie was sometime in October, 2004. Then, Miramax adjusted their release date first to November, 2004, and then to December, 2004, and most recently, they have adjusted their plans to indicate the December release is limited (to qualify for Oscar consideration), followed by a wide release in January, 2005. There is still a very good chance that the film will start its U.K. release in November, 2004, before the U.S. (6/13/04) My hunch about a November date has proven true, with a change in Miramax's strategy to go with a wide release on November 19th right away, rather than doing a December/January platform. This sort of move is reminiscent of the post-release studio line that Harvey Weinstein was saying about Cold Mountain (that it probably should have been released a month earlier because of the new Academy Awards calendar). This move to November 19th replaces on Miramax's schedule the Dimension Films release of Terry Gilliam's The Brothers Grimm. (11/1/04) The movie will open on 500 screens a week earlier on November 12th. It's still opening nationwide on the 19th.

MPAA Rating: R (for language and some sexual content)

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Distributor Note: (7/6/04) This was originally supposed to be a codistributed release, with Miramax Films handling the U.S., but they have now dropped out, giving the states to Universal, so that Miramax can concentrate on Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, the U.S. rights to which they have recently taken over from Warner Bros. Distribution rights... exciting stuff, huh?

Production Company: Working Title Films (Wimbledon, Thunderbirds), Little Bird Ltd.

Production Company Note: (2/21/04) This is British production company Working Title Films' first sequel, although they are quick to note that it is not merely a sequel to the first movie, but an adaptation of a novel (which, of course... was a sequel).

Cast: Renee Zellweger (Bridget Jones), Colin Firth (Mark Darcy), Hugh Grant (Daniel Cleaver), Jacinda Barrett (Rebecca), Morne Botes, Jim Broadbent (Colin Jones), James Callis (Tom), Shirley Henderson (Jude), Gemma Jones (Pam Jones), Sally Phillips (Shazzer), Catherine Russell, Jessica Stevenson; other cast not announced yet.

Cast Notes: (2/21/04) In the novel, Colin Firth (the actor) is interviewed by Bridget, but that was written before Helen Fielding knew that Colin would actually end up playing the character, Mark Darcy, who took his name from the character Firth played in the BBC mini-series, Pride and Prejudice. There were rumors that an American actor like George Clooney (a long-time pal of Zellweger's) or John Travolta might make a cameo appearance in that scene instead, but there are now rumors that the celebrity cameo scene may have been cut from the script entirely. The issue of Hugh Grant's inclusion as a major character in this movie is also interesting, as his character of Daniel Cleaver is barely mentioned in the second novel. Obviously, changes were made. Finally, it's also fun to remark that costar Jacinda Barrett is probably still best known for another project set in London.

Director: Beeban Kidron (Antonia and Jane, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything!, Julie Newmar, Used People, Swept from the Sea)

Director Notes: (2/21/04) The director's film, Swept from the Sea, starring Vincent Weisz and Vincent Perez, should most definitely not be confused with the similarly-titled Swept Away, starring Madonna.

Screenwriter: Andrew Davies (Circle of Friends; cowriter of Bridget Jones's Diary) and Helen Fielding (feature debut) (first draft); rewrite by Adam Brooks (French Kiss, The Invisible Circus; cowriter of Wimbledon); rewrite by Richard Curtis (Notting Hill, Love Actually; cowriter of Bridget Jones's Diary),

Based Upon: (2/21/04) This movie is both based upon the novel of the same title by Helen Fielding, and is a sequel to the 2001 film, Bridget Jones's Diary (with the novel by that title of course being what started it all).

Franchise Notes: (2/21/04) Renee Zellweger has recently been quoted as saying that she would be interested in signing on for a third 'Bridget Jones' movie if the opportunity arose. Ms. Fielding has not yet written a third novel.

Premise: Starting four weeks after the events of the first movie, former British singleton Bridget Jones (Zellweger) discovers that life with beau (and barrister) Mark Darcy (Firth) isn't exactly everything she thought it might be, and neither is her new job as a news reporter for the 'Sit Up Britain' TV show (Jacinda Barrett plays a coworker of Mark's that Bridget has a lesbian encounter with).

Filming: Filming started in London on October 6th, 2003 on a budget of $30 million, and wrapped up on February 15th, 2004. There was also some filming (as readers of the novel would expect) in Thailand, as well as in Austria and in Surrey, England. As she did with the first film, Renee Zellweger gained 28 pounds for the role (going to a size 14 from a size 6).

Genre: Based on a Book, British, Comedy, Female, Romance, Sequel

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I read this book...its really funny. Bridget is just the kind of pathetic female who one can actually like and laugh at simultaneously.

Btw, thanks for the pics, Kanchi! Colin Firth looks dreamy!😳

I bet Lakshmi will start swooning now😉

Me too. Can't wait to watch sequel to the first one. Hope its as good as the first one.

-Rifhat