Writer and star of the surprise 2002 hit "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" Nia Vardolos confirmed a sequel was in the works on Twitter, writing: "Now that I'm experiencing motherhood I feel ready to write this next chapter. A few jaded press corps will claim I ran out of money or just want to kiss John Corbett again. One of these things is true."
Yes, the entire original cast — including John Corbett — is expected to return for the sequel, which will reportedly tackle motherhood, the reveal of a family secret and, of course, another big, fat Greek wedding. (Via IFC Films / "My Big Fat Greek Wedding")
The general reaction online seemed to be, "opa!" with a lot of fans excited to see the Portokalos family back together. (Via NBC, The New Jersey Star-Ledger, Just Jared)
But there's also some concern about a sequel — Vardalos tried to recreate the original film's success once before with a critically panned sequel TV series on CBS. It only ran seven episodes in 2003.
And almost all of Vardalos' follow-up films have been box office disappointments, including her on-screen reunion with Corbett in 2009's 'I Hate Valentine's Day.'
But The Hollywood Reporter suggests a sequel is a no-brainer, money-wise. The original film grossed $241 million in the United States alone. FYI – it was made for just $5 million.
According to Box Office Mojo, that makes "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" the highest-grossing romantic comedy ever.
It's also one of the top 10 most successful independent films of all time. (Via: Entertainment Weekly)
And Deadline says the fact it's been 12 years since the first film hit the big screen is a good sign – it means Vardalos waited for another story worth telling.
The original producing team – including Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks, who discovered Vardalos – is back on board, too, another promising sign. (Via: Flickr, Flickr)
That team also includes the minds behind fellow sleeper-hit "Pitch Perfect" and its now in-production sequel.
No director is attached to the "Greek" sequel yet, but it is expected to be fast-tracked for a 2015 release.
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