'Bend it Like Beckham' sequel coming more than 20 years after original's release
It's a rematch two decades in the making.
"Bend it Like Beckham," the beloved women's soccer drama that has picked up a cult-like fandom since its 2002 release, is reportedly getting a sequel. Director Gurinder Chadha confirmed plans for the film to the BBC and Deadline, which was the first to report the news.
"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," Chadha told Deadline.
The original movie, a rare sports dramedy, followed two young British women (Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra) as they faced institutional and cultural stigma in the field of women's sports, with both falling for their coach (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) in the process.
Chadha, who is also behind popular films like "Blinded by the Light" and "Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging," said that Nagra and Knightley – as well as costars Archie Panjabi, Juliet Stevenson and other members of the original cast – are aware that a sequel is in the works, but "obviously" want to read the script before they commit.
"I'm pretty certain that everyone's going to want to come back," she told Deadline, adding: "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."
With dribbling sequences and interspersed tributes to a young David Beckham, the movie is as much about soccer as it is about cultural assimilation and female friendship. That's in part why Chadha told both Deadline and BBC that she hopes to time the movie to the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil in 2027, also marking the original film's 25th anniversary.
"We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters," Chadha told the BBC. Referencing the Lionesses, the U.K.'s national women's soccer team, she argued that cultural attitudes had evolved since "Bend It" first hit theaters, but could still use an extra push.
"A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football," Chadha told the BBC. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high."
Along with the original cast, she hopes some of the Lionesses' prominent players will make cameos.
News of the sequel falls into a growing trend in Hollywood of second installments coming many years after the original. With films like "Freakier Friday" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2," out now or on the horizon, studios seem keen to revisit beloved classics, years after the original bow was tied on the franchise.
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