"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is getting a bigger, fatter sequel.
Writer and star of the surprise 2002 hit Nia Vardolos confirmed the news 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 / ecfotos, Flickr / Capital M)
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.
