Photo: Courtesy of Miramax.Oh, bugger. The third installment in the Bridget Jones canon has hit a bit of a stumbling block. Hugh Grant, who starred as Lothario Daniel Cleaver in the film adaptations of the best-selling books, has officially "parted ways" with the third movie. Once called Bridget Jones's Baby, the film's script is said to be an alternative version of events than those which occur in Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, which came out last October.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
In the third novel, we learn that Mark Darcy has died. The third film, however, reportedly sees him alive and well, meaning the movie would have most likely focused on the love triangle between Renée Zellweger's Bridget, her former boss, Daniel, and her Austenian soulmate, Mr. Darcy (played by Colin Firth). Erm — not anymore, now that Grant has dropped out of the project.
Grant discussed his decision in a radio interview, saying, "I think they’re going to go ahead and do it without Daniel. The book’s excellent, by the way, but the script is completely different — well, the script as I last saw it a few years ago."
Although Zellweger and Firth are said to be signed on for the third film, maybe it's time to call a spade a spade and end the Bridget Jones saga at the second movie. After all, even Colin Firth is embarrassed by it.