Bridget Jones is back, and she's swapping Colin Firth for Leo Woodall

Two years ago, rumours were swirling that Bridget Jones 4 was secretly in the works and insiders claimed we could expect a 2024 release. Fast forward to February, and the speculation was at an all time high. It sparked opinion pieces about why a fourth instalment was not needed, countered by a defence of the millennial heroine, but there's one thing that everyone could agree on: like it or loathe it, Renée Zellweger's rumoured return caused a buzz.

The last time we saw Bridget it was 2016; she was hanging out with Ed Sheeran in a field, dating Derek McDreamy Shepherd (sorry, Patrick Dempsey), and preparing for the birth of her first child with potential-biological-father, Mark Darcy. All in all, Bridget Jones's Baby was probably the most chaotic - and least revered - addition to the Bridgetverse. However, the iconic noughties heroine is getting ready to return with none other than Leo Woodall in tow.

The upcoming film, titled Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, will seeThe White Lotus and One Day star joining returning cast members like Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. Considering Leo has cemented himself as something of a Gen-Z romcom heartthrob in recent years, and with Bridget taking another stab at winning the hearts of the masses (particularly if she's hoping to win over a younger audience), it's a very clever move.

According to reports, Leo is tipped to play Bridget's new love interest. Although the titular character reunited with Mark Darcy at the end of the third movie, fans are predicting that the plot could follow author Helen Fielding's books - meaning that Bridget could potentially be a single mother looking for love on dating apps. The book of the same name, released in 2013, sees the famous singleton navigating love in a digital age, and teamed with the fact that Colin Firth has not been named in the cast list many are assuming that he won't reprise his role. Sob.

Hugh Grant, however, has been confirmed for Bridget Jones 4 - so if you've been secretly hoping for a toxic Daniel Cleaver-Bridget Jones reunion, you may well get it.

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is tipped for release in the US on Valentine's Day 2025, but we're still waiting for confirmation about UK release dates.