It's nostalgia overload as Toy Story 5, Shrek 5, Gladiator, Bridget Jones, Devil Wears Prada 2 and more make a comeback
From Toy Story 5 and Shrek 5 to Devil Wears Prada 2, Freaky Friday 2 and Gladiator 2, several 90s films have announced new films. We take a look at these films
WIth franchises ruling the roost, several new film announcements have been made over the recent past. Prequels, sequels and even fifth innings of childhood faves from the 90s are making a comeback. Here’s a look at some of them
Devil wears Prada 2
A sequel to the 2006 chick-flick is already in the works, with actors Meryl Streep coming back to play editor Miranda Priestly along with Emily Blunt, her long-suffering assistant, Emily Charlton. It is still unclear if actor Anne Hathway aka Andrea Sachs will re-join the original cast.
This time around, the focus is on Miranda as she faces the decline of the magazine publishing business. She is forced to call on her former trusty assistant, who has now moved on to a high position at a luxury fashion group. However, there is no set release date for The Devil Wears Prada 2.
At the SAG Awards in February this year, the three leading women had a mini-reunion. On stage, when Meryl was opening the envelope to announce the winner, Emily hit her with the veteran actor's film dialogue and said, "By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know that thrills me.”
Freaky Friday 2
The family of misfits is back together. The shooting for Freak Friday 2 is underway in Los Angeles, USA with most of the cast from the 2003 film back as well. Led by actors Jaime Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, who played mum and daughter, the film showed them switching bodies after a terrible fight that began with them eating a fortune cookie. It was based on the novel of the same name by author Mary Rodgers.
The sequel is set in contemporary times and will take their story ahead. Also returning with their role are actors Mark Harmon and Chad Michael Murray, while the new additions are actors Julia Butters, Manny Jacinto, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Sophia Hammons. They were recently spotted on set shooting for the family reunion. Directed by Nisha Ganatra, fans of the 2003 flick can thank Curtis, who said she personally wrote to Disney to ask them to work on a sequel.
Shrek 5 (2026)
The orge from the swamp, his trusty sidekick Donkey and lady-love Fiona are set to make a comeback to the big screen for the fifth time. With a possible release day of July 1, 2026, the original cast of Shrek, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Mike Myers, will also be returning. This will mark the return of Diaz after she announced her retirement from Hollywood and acting in 2018.
The production of the film has already begun and it is being co-directed by Walt Dohrn and Brad Ableson. In an interview with Collider in June, Murphy said, “We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago. I recorded the first act and we’ll be doing it this year. Shrek is coming out and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie."
Toy Story 5 (2026)
It seems like Woody and Buzz Lightyear will ride again, for the fifth time. The animated film is likely to release sometime in June 2026 and Bob Iger, CEO of Disney confirmed that Pixar is working on a new Toy Story sequel.
Tim Allen, who has been voicing Lightyear in the multi-starrer but was not part of the spinoff, confirmed he would return as Buzz. He tweeted: "See ya soon Woody... off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!" While the specifics of the plot are still unknown, Pete Docter, Chief creative officer of Pixar, told The Wrap, “I think it’ll be surprising. It’s got some really cool stuff that you haven’t seen before.”
Gladiator II (2024)
The sequel to the 2000 film, Gladiator II is all set to hit the big screens 24 years since the original film, on November 22 this year. However, most of the older cast won’t be making an appearance in the epic historical drama.
Directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott, the film stars Paul Mescal as grown-up Lucius, son of Lucilla, played by Connie Nelson and nephew to King Commodus. Pedro Pascal will be General Marcus Acacius, while Denzel Washington will feature as an arms dealer. The trailer for the film was recently released and it shows that the story is set two decades after Russell Crowe-led film.
In an interview, Mescal said he is hoping that the clash of release between Gladiator II and Wicked could recreate the Barbenheimer phenomenon. “Wickdiator doesn’t really roll off the tongue does it? I think my preference would probably be Glicked if it has a similar effect to what it did for Barbie and Oppenheimer,” Mescal told Entertainment Tonight, adding, “It would be amazing ’cause I think the films couldn’t be more polar opposites and it worked in that context previously. So fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend.”
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025)
Shooting for the latest instalment of the rom-com franchise is underway, and it seems like the audience’s favourites will be reprising their roles. Actor Hugh Grant, who played Daniel Cleaver, was recently spotted on the set of the new film. He was seen sharing a passionate embrace with his co-star Renée Zellweger, who is his love interest, Bridget Jones.
Directed by Michael Morris, the film is based on author Helen Fielding’s 2013 book of the same name. The upcoming movie is expected to continue where the 2016 movie had left off. The film has been scheduled for a Valentine’s Day release next year.
Cleaver, at the beginning of the previous film, was believed to be dead in a plane crash, but ended with a surprise that revealed he was alive. Speaking about Grant reprising his character, a source close to the production told The Daily Mail, “There was no way they couldn’t get Hugh for Bridget’s final outing. Daniel has been such a huge part of her life and although he literally has no chance with her now it is only right he should be included.”
