More than two decades after its initial release, a sequel to the acclaimed film *Bend It Like Beckham* is in development, according to confirmation from the director to the BBC.
Gurinder Chadha hinted at the forthcoming revival in Basel, where the England Lionesses are preparing for their Euro 2025 final match against Spain on Sunday.
The original 2002 film, starring Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra, is widely recognized for inspiring a generation of women to pursue football.
“We’ve been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters,” Chadha stated.
Chadha has tentatively slated 2027 for the release of the next installment, coinciding with both the film’s 25th anniversary and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
She indicated that the format of the sequel remains undecided, suggesting it could materialize as either a feature film or a television series.
The director shared with the BBC that she has been approached consistently since the original film’s debut about the possibility of creating a sequel.
“A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don’t think that women should play football,” she observed.
“There are people who still don’t take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high.”
“I’ve left it a while, but I thought: look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses.”
Chadha expressed her hopes not only to reunite the original cast but also to attract members of the current England squad for cameo appearances.
Grossing nearly £60 million on a £3.5 million budget, *Bend It Like Beckham* became an unexpected success, telling the story of a young British-Indian girl with a passion for football.
Chadha admitted to the BBC that she did not anticipate the original film’s overwhelming success.
Her intention, she explained, was to “uplift girls, girls who grew up like me, who were always being told how to dress, how to look, what to say, what not to say”.
“What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all, and I think that’s a really great message to put out again. I think there’s still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge.”
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