Rejoice! Bend It Like Beckham Is Finally Getting a Sequel
News broke via Deadline on the day before the Euros final that Gurinder Chadha, who directed the original cult classic, now has a follow-up officially in the works. 'I'm excited to revisit the original characters and revive the enduring story and build on the legacy we helped to create for the women's game,' she told the publication, while, coincidentally, in Basel for the historic match. She added that the first film's principal cast—Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Archie Panjabi, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Juliet Stevenson, Anupam Kher et al—'are aware that a sequel is being developed, but they obviously want to see a script before they commit. Everything hinges on the script and if the original cast likes it. I am working really hard to make sure every character I bring back has a decent arc and scenes.'
Despite a sizeable appetite from Bend It's fans and the increasing prominence of women's football globally, Chadha admits that, for more than 20 years, 'I didn't want to do anything because I didn't have a story. And then I came up with a great story, [a] really super-cool story. So now I'm inspired. [I] literally came up with it just about a month ago. It's my very clear wish to bring the characters back very, very soon. Women's football is more competitive, more exciting, and more global than ever. It is an honor for me to be a small part of it.'
So, what changed? Well, it seems this year's Cannes Film Festival was pivotal: It was there that Chadha was introduced to Emma Hayes, the head coach of the US women's soccer team, who, naturally, has no shortage of insight on the game at the very highest level. Since then, the pair have discussed a potential sequel further, and are now working on it 'collaboratively.'
It's likely that Chadha's co-writer on the first film, Paul Mayeda Berges, will be back too, and the filmmaker noted that the aim is to have the sequel on screens by 2027—in time for both the 25th anniversary of Bend It Like Beckham and the next FIFA Women's World Cup, where the Lionesses will attempt to take the top prize from defending champions Spain.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The legacy Duncan Scott boasts after anchoring Great Britain to World Championships glory
Duncan Scott's sensational last leg secured a British victory in the men's 4×200m freestyle relay final in Singapore, as the Scottish superstar continues to cement his legacy as one of Britain's greatest ever swimmers. The quartet of Scott, Matt Richards, James Guy and Jack McMillan maintained Team GB's dominance in this event, with victory at the World Aquatics Championships adding to gold medal success at the Olympics in Tokyo and Paris. They also secured Britain's first swimming medal at these championships, as they reclaimed a title that they last won in 2023. Success in Southeast Asia means Scott can add yet another medal to his ever-increasing collection. The Glasgow-born swimmer is now aiming to become the most decorated British Olympian of all time at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. 'We can't think this is normal, this is pretty special,' Scott told The Independent. 'We can't take it for granted at all because that was so hard fought and everyone's kind of looking at us now and challenging us.' With eight medals to his name, Scott is currently joint second with Bradley Wiggins in the list of Britain's most decorated Olympians. The pair are one medal behind retired cyclist Jason Kenny. Scott made history in Tokyo after becoming the first ever British athlete to win four medals at a single Olympic Games. He continued his success in Paris last year, securing a second gold medal in the 4x200m relay. Attention is now inevitable turning to Los Angeles in 2028, with Scott having the chance to go clear as Britain's most decorated Olympian. But the Scottish swimmer is trying to stay focused on more immediate races in the pool. 'It's tough as a 28-year-old, you just try and take each one as you can. I guess it's a good thing and a bad thing, with the way the swimming world works. It's straight on to the next Olympic cycle. It'd be quite cool if there was something else,' said Scott. He took a three-month break from the pool at the end of last year, jetting off for some rest and relaxation in Bali, Australia and Hawaii. The mini-sabbatical coincided with a change of coach, with Ben Higson replacing long-time trainer Steven Tigg, who has stepped up to the role of Aquatics GB Swimming head coach. Time away from the sport has seen Scott return with a more laid-back approach, although he is yet to find the same level of form that he showed last year, missing out on a medal in the 200m individual medley in Singapore. 'This year has been quite nice. I've taken the foot off the gas emotionally, allowing me to enjoy some other aspects of my life,' said Scott. 'That's maybe why performances were a little bit off in the 200 IM (individual medley) final, but that's also the reality of what I kind of thought as well.' Great Britain started Friday's final as heavy favourites and looked worthy of that tag after strong swims from Matt Richards and James Guy. But the race tightened up during Jack McMillan's third leg, with China and the United States reeling Great Britain in. The 25-year-old Belfast swimmer came back strongly in the latter stages of his leg, before handing over in second place for a thrilling finale. Scott flew off the starting block and stormed down the pool, kicking off his anchor leg in phenomenal style. Speaking after the race, the Olympic champion said that he went out harder than usual in order to get ahead and be able to swim in clear water. 'I thought I executed pretty well, but the boys put me in a good position,' he said. 'Jack finished really strong and allowed me to start with a good momentum.' Scott's final leg was clocked at 1:43.82, as Great Britain took top spot on the podium ahead of China and Australia. Relay success ended a six-day weight for a British swimming medal in Singapore, following a number of near misses including Scott's fourth place in the individual medley. Angharad Evan, 22, went close to snatching a bronze medal earlier on Friday evening, but she faded in the closing stages of the 200m breaststroke final. 'I just had to use my heart in the last 25 metres. All my body was numb and it was just my heart that I had to use to get my hand to the wall', explained Evan. 'I ended up being in fifth place, but there is so much more room to improve on that event.' There is still hope of more British success in the Southeast Asian city-state, with Ben Proud securing a spot in the final of the men's 50m freestyle. He will compete for a place on the podium in Saturday evening's session after recording the sixth-fastest time in the semi-finals.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Taron Egerton Rules Himself Out of the Running for James Bond: 'It Would Be Wasted on Me'
The race to be Denis Villeneuve's 007 is hotting up, but Taron Egerton has bowed out. The actor, known for his roles in the Kingsman movies and as Elton John in Rocketman, may have been considered a frontrunner for James Bond after step-siblings Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson formally handed over the rights to Amazon earlier this year. He's young, fit and British, has proven he can play a great spy — why not? More from The Hollywood Reporter Julian Schnabel to Receive Venice Festival's Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award Thelma Schoonmaker and Rose Matafeo Sessions Added to Edinburgh Film Fest Lineup European Creators Slam AI Act Implementation, Warn Copyright Protections Are Failing 'I think I'm too messy for that,' Egerton told Collider on Tuesday. 'I think I'm not [the right fit]— I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig's tenure.' 'But I think I wouldn't be good at it,' he continued, 'and I think there's so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably.' Egerton added that the role would be 'quite an undertaking' at this stage in his career. 'As far as I'm aware, nobody's asking me to do it. But also, it's possibly not quite the thing that would make me happiest,' he said, referring to the restrictive nature of playing Bond. 'It kind of consumes your life, a role like that.' In a 2023 interview, Egerton said it was his weight that put him off the task of Bond. 'I've always struggled with my weight,' he said in an interview with The Telegraph. '[Bond] is a bit like being a brand ambassador as well as being an actor. And that could be really fun in microcosm, but I'm sure I read that Barbara Broccoli said that it's a 15-year commitment.' Rumors are still swirling about who'll be tapped to take over from Daniel Craig after Dune director Villeneuve was confirmed to helm the next era of the James Bond franchise. 'I grew up watching James Bond films with my father,' the Canadian gushed in a statement after the news broke. 'I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come.' The Hollywood Reporter recently took an in-depth look at the director's portfolio to decide whether he's the right man for the job. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Greatest Needle Drops in Film History The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
People Are Absolutely Loving This One Relationship On 'Love Island UK' This Season, And It's Unexpectedly Heartwarming
Everyone knows that Love Island isn't "Friendship Island"... Except that sometimes it really *is* Friendship Island!!! Peacock / Via We will never forget PPG. And that's never been more evident than on the current season of Love Island UK, where the ultimate friendship coupling of this season is none other than Shakira and Toni. Because, in a season filled with gaslighting and mind games, our two girls have absolutely STUCK together! @aishaaisthisyou / Via Twitter: @aishaaisthisyou And the viewers at home have clearly noticed their connection because they LOVE IT. They ALWAYS have each other's back: They love and respect each other for their honesty: (As do the viewers at home...) They're incredibly good at spotting a fuckboy from across the villa's pool: They don't shit talk each other behind closed doors: Truly, they are always there for each other in the face of of unhinged Love Island antics: To sum it up, this is how Shakira and Toni fans feel about the duo: And this is how we'll show up for them: And shoutout to our girl Yasmin, who has been by their sides (with perfect posture), calling out men for how they treat women. @girlslikeus / Via Twitter: @grilslikeus Fans over in the US haven't seen the family episode yet from this season, but here's a sneak peek of what you're in for! Fans of Shakira and Toni (and Yas)? Let us know why you love their friendship so much in the comments below! And if you wanna know why people are loving this friendship as much as they are, you can catch up on Love Island UK on Hulu now!
