Hugh Grant Says Upcoming ‘Bridget Jones’ Sequel Is ‘the Best One’ So Far (Exclusive)

Hugh Grant is gearing up to return to one of his most beloved franchises in the new Bridget Jones sequel, Mad About the Boy.

The acclaimed English actor recently sat down with ET’s Rachel Smith — while promoting his new comedy, Unfrosted — and addressed his participation in the fourth film in the romantic comedy series, where he will reunite with leading lady Renée Zellweger.

“I’ll tell you what, I think this script for the fourth Bridget is the best one of the four,” shared Grant. “And, in fact, one of the best scripts I have read for in a long time.”

Grant starred in Bridget Jones’ Diary in 2001 and the 2004 sequel, The Edge of Reason, as Daniel Cleaver, Jones’ former boss and later ex. However, the 63-year-old actor opted not to appear in the third film, Bridget Jones’ Baby.

As such, it was insinuated that Cleaver had died in a plane crash in Bridget Jones’s Baby. However, it is only at the end of the film that a newspaper headline reveals he has been found alive, thus leaving the door open for his possible future return.

Mad About the Boy is based on the Helen Fielding novel of the same name, and Grant explained that the thing he finds most interesting is the depth of emotion in the screenplay — which follows the titular Bridget some time after the tragic death of her husband, as she navigates the world as a single mother who still wants to live her life.

“It’s based on trying to bring up two children alone, and then [it’s] all mixed up in the Bridget Jones [style] comedy, so its very sad, as well as very funny,” Grant explained. “It has me in tears.”

For the actor, he hadn’t been expecting this project to come up — or for his essentially killed-off character to return. “It just suddenly sprang out of, you know, Helen writing another book,” Grant said. “Hopefully, we’re not too ancient. I don’t do much now, I’ve just got a few scenes.”

In addition to Grant, Emma Thompson — who co-wrote and starred in Bridget Jones’ Baby — has been cast in Mad About the Boy. Newcomers to the franchise include 12 Years a Slave‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor, and One Day and The White Lotus star Leo Woodall.

Perhaps the best news of all for Bridget Jones fans is that they will have to wait less than a year to see the sequel as it will debut in movie theaters and on Peacock on Valentine’s Day 2025.

Meanwhile, Grant will soon be seen in Unfrosted — Jerry Seinfeld’s feature film directorial debut — which tells a fictionalized history of Kellogg’s and Post Cereal as they compete to create the beloved pasty treat now known as the Pop-Tart.

In the film, Grant stars as real-life classic Hollywood screen star Thurl Ravenscroft, who provided the original deep, booming voice of iconic cereal mascot Tony the Tiger.

Unfrosted stars Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Jim Gaffigan, Max Greenfield, Peter Dinklage, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, Dan Levy, James Marsden, Tony Hale, Cedric the Entertainer and Jon Hamm, to name a few — and premieres May 3 on Netflix.