Bridget Jones, the character created by Helen Fielding and played by Renée Zellweger in four films, is to be immortalised in bronze in central London.
The new statue will be unveiled on 17 November and joins a number of others portraying key icons of cinema in Leicester Square, home to four cinemas and numerous red carpet premieres.
The news was first reported by Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye, who spoke to Eric Fellner, co-chair of Working Title, the studio behind the film adaptations.
Fellner said he was “over-excited” about the development because “we’ve never had anything like that before. I think it’s great because Bridget’s a proper London heroine and the idea of having Bridget ever present in a brilliant location in the centre of London is really exciting.”
He added that “this is the first time they’ve had a romantic comedy character.”
Designed by London-based studio 3D Eye, it will become a permanent fixture in the square, which is already home to bronze statues of Paddington Bear, Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, Batman, Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, Indiana Jones, Charlie Chaplin and Daniel Kaluuya’s character in Get Out.
Zellweger will be in attendance for the unveiling, alongside Fellner, co-star Sally Phillips, and Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall, who played men vying for the heroine’s affections in the most recent instalment: Mad About the Boy.
In that film, Jones struggled to raise two young children after the death of husband, Mark Darcy, played by Colin Firth.
It remains unclear whether the statue will depict the character in this fourth film, or whether the bronze will reflect her fondness for chardonnay, cigarettes and big knickers.
“I love the idea that [Fielding’s] brilliant writing in a newspaper 30 years ago ends up as a statue in Leicester Square,” said Fellner. “It’s kind of gorgeous.”
He added that while Fielding has not written a fifth book in the series from which a film could be adapted, he would be eager to pursue a fifth film, should she come up with an idea. Zellweger has also been enthusiastic about a return to the character.
The first film in the series, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was released 24 years ago, followed by Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Bridget Jones’s Baby and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, which combined have earned nearly $900m at the global box office.
The fourth instalment went straight to streaming in the US but was a major hit in the UK and in other territories, grossing more than $100m.
