Even without a US theatrical release, Bridget Jones' return to the big screen continues its success internationally asBridget Jones: Mad About The Boysurpasses a major box-office milestone. The 2025 romantic comedy marks the return of Renee Zellweger’s character for a fourth installment, as she grapples with finding love after a heartbreaking loss.Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boyalso featuresthe return of Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, and Emma Thompson, while Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Goodall make their franchise debuts.

According toDeadline,Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boyhas been a hit internationally despite not receiving a theatrical release in North America. Across 65 markets, Universal has earned a gross of $94.8 million, while French distributor Studiocanal collected $6.5 million,earning just over double its estimated $50 million budget. While there are still other markets for it to be released in, the movie was only released as a direct-to-streaming title on Peacock in the US.

An image of Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth from Bridget Jones.

While the success of romantic comedies such asAnyone But Youproved the genre was still incredibly viable in theaters, there was little doubt thatBridget Jones: Mad About The Boywould be a success. Not only was it a proven franchise among audiences, but favorable reviews and a perfectly scheduled release across the Valentine’s Day period in most territories allowed the movie to easily capture audiences' attention. As such, Peacock’s decision to release the title to streaming could leave many viewers confused.

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While the success of Netflix’s own feature-length productions and a shrinking theatrical window may show a shift in the industry, it has been clear thataudiences are keen to see movies in theaters. As such, Universal’s decision to release the movie directly on streaming seems like an outdated idea of how studios assumed the industry would be following the COVID-19 pandemic. This assumption had already been proven wrong with the success ofAlien: Romulus, which itself was originally slated for streaming before receiving a theatrical release. As such, many may expect Universal to take note and learn from this situation.

Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy Bridget and Shazzer laughing

The Movie Could Be A Strong Note For The Series To End On

With a strong critical response and impressive box-office gross without the lucrative US market,Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boyis undoubtedly a successand a welcome continuation of the franchise’s winning streak following 2016’sBridget Jones' Baby.Despite this, the franchise’s future is unclear, given that the fourth installment adapted the last of the currently available novels, with original author Helen Fielding’s next novel reportedly being a new project outside of theBridget Jonesbook series. Nevertheless, even without the US theatrical markets' support,Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boyleaves the franchise with a strong note to leave things on.

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy

Cast

Widowed for four years, Bridget Jones raises her children while supported by friends and family. Pressed to rebuild her life, she returns to work and explores dating, meeting a younger man. Balancing romance, work, and motherhood, Bridget navigates pressures from all parts of her social and family life.

Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy 2025 Film Poster