One of the bigger successes of 2011, Bridesmaids turned its $33 million production budget into over $288 million worldwide. Naturally, Universal Pictures is keen on duplicating that success and today The Hollywood Reporter is claiming that they may do so without the involvement of star Kristen Wiig, who also wrote the screenplay with Annie Mumolo.
“We are talking to filmmakers now about concepts,” a Universal rep told the outlet, “and if the right one emerges, we’ll move forward.”
Universal has somewhat of a history of continuing franchises without key players. Vin Diesel declined to return immediately after 2001’s The Fast and the Furious and, hitting theaters this year, The Bourne Legacy places Jeremy Renner at the center of the franchise that previously starred Matt Damon.
Wiig and Mumolo are said to be working on a different project together and are not currently planning a Bridesmaids sequel. Producer Judd Apatow, meanwhile, is said to be tentatively interested, but only if those involved can “come up with an idea that is as good or better than the first one”.
Though nothing is confirmed at this time, it is noted that it is unlikely that Apatow would proceed without Wiig and Mumolo’s involvement.
