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The girls are back. Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha confirmed that she is currently working on a sequel to the beloved 2003 soccer film Bend It Like Beckham.

“I’m excited to revisit the original characters and revive the enduring story and build on the legacy we helped to create for the women’s game,” Chadha told Deadline. She added that the original cast members, including Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Archie Panjabi, and Juliet Stevenson, “are aware that a sequel is being developed, but they obviously want to see a script before they commit.

Exclusive: Gurinder Chadha reveals to Deadline that a sequel to her celebrated 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham, which starred Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, is officially in the works. “I’m excited to revisit the original characters and revive the enduring story and build on the legacy we helped to create for the women’s game,” the London-based director confirms.

Chadha adds that Nagra, Knightley, Archie Punjabi, Juliet Stevenson and other members of the original cast “are aware that a sequel is being developed, but they obviously want to see a script before they commit.

“I’m pretty certain that everyone’s going to want to come back,” she adds hopefully.

‘Bend It Like Beckham’ (Everett Collection)

“Everything hinges on the script and if the original cast likes it,” Chadha says. “I am working really hard to make sure every character I bring back has a decent arc and scenes.

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, director of ‘Bend It Like Beckham’, is teasing the possibility of a sequel to the 2002 film which starred Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley. “I never really wanted to make a sequel to the film, because I just thought the way Parminder and Keira played it, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Archie Panjabi, I could never really follow that up and create that same magic in the same way,” Chadha told Metro UK in an interview, reports deadline.com.

“But with the recent success of football, I just feel like I’m starting to percolate an idea for a possible sequel of some kind.”

Chadha co-wrote the sports comedy-drama alongside Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges. The film also starred Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi.

‘Bend It Like Beckham’ was a film that followed Jesminder and Jules as they chased their...

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, director of ‘Bend It Like Beckham’, is teasing the possibility of a sequel to the 2002 film which starred Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley. “I never really wanted to make a sequel to the film, because I just thought the way Parminder and Keira played it, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Archie Panjabi, I could never really follow that up and create that same magic in the same way,” Chadha told Metro UK in an interview, reports deadline.com.

“But with the recent success of football, I just feel like I’m starting to percolate an idea for a possible sequel of some kind.”

Chadha co-wrote the sports comedy-drama alongside Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges. The film also starred Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi.

‘Bend It Like Beckham’ was a film that followed Jesminder and Jules as they chased their...

Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend It Like Beckham, is teasing the possibility of a sequel to the 2002 film which starred Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley.

“I never really wanted to make a sequel to the film, because I just thought the way Parminder and Keira played it, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Archie Panjabi, I could never really follow that up and create that same magic in the same way,” Chadha told Metro UK in an interview. “But with the recent success of football, I just feel like I’m starting to percolate an idea for a possible sequel of some kind.”

Chadha co-wrote the sports comedy-drama alongside Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges. The film also starred Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi.

Bend It Like Beckham was a film that followed Jesminder and Jules as they chased their dreams of becoming professional...

Gurinder Chadha and the cast of the West End show Bend It Like Beckham last night revealed the first song ‘UB2’ from the highly anticipated musical.

The song is a tribute to Southall (postcode UB2) and features the cast setting the scene for the show.The accompanying video was shot on the streets of Southall before rehearsals began. The cast spent a day singing, dancing and stopping traffic, and took over one of the most iconic streets in west London.

Chadha said of the filming and the track: “UB2 is where Jess lives, and where I lived. We wanted to get people to start to feel the essence and heart of the music, and the best way was to bring it to life here in the heart of the community.”

London previews begin for the new British musical Bend It Like Beckham on 15 May 2015 with opening night on 24 June 2015.

Natalie Dew...

Gurinder Chadha’s hit film Bend It Like Beckham is being readied for the West End stage and following a host of auditions and workshops, the cast for the highly anticipated stage version Bend It Like Beckham the Musical has been formally announced.

Natalie Dew will play football crazy Jess with Lauren Samuels as Jules, a player with the Harriers, a local women’s football team, and Jamie Campbell Bower as their coach Joe. The three young leads will be supported by some familiar faces, including comedian Ronni Ancona who plays Paula, Jules’s Mum, with Jamal Andréas as Jess’ good friend Tony.

Preeya Kalidas who appeared in the original film as one of the cousins, will take on the role of Pinky, Jess’ sister and Tony Jayawardena andNatasha Jayetileke take on the all important roles of her parents, Mr and Mrs Bhamra.

Jess needs extra time. She is facing...

Smaller films from specialty film companies dominated the nominees for original screenplay Thursday in the 56th annual Writers Guild Awards, while several of the year's larger releases, including The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Cold Mountain, featured prominently among the best adapted screenplays. Original screenplay nominees are Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges and Guljit Bindra for Fox Searchlight Pictures' Bend It Like Beckham, a lighthearted look at women's competitive soccer; Steven Knight for Miramax Films' Dirty Pretty Things, a gritty immigrant story; Jim Sheridan and daughters Naomi Sheridan and Kirsten Sheridan for Fox Searchlight's In America, an intimate portrait of a family struggling with the loss of a child; Sofia Coppola for Focus Features' much-honored Lost in Translation; and Tom McCarthy for Miramax's moody drama The Station Agent. Adapted screenplay nominees are Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman for HBO Films/Fine Line Features' American Splendor, based on the comic book series by Harvey Pekar and novel by Pekar and Joyce Brabner; Anthony Minghella for Miramax Films' Civil War-era drama Cold Mountain, based on the novel by Charles Frazier; Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson for New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien; Brian Helgeland for Warner Bros. Pictures' Mystic River, based on the novel by Dennis Lehane; and Gary Ross for Universal Pictures' Seabiscuit, based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand.

Smaller films from specialty film companies dominated the nominees Thursday for original screenplay at the 56th annual Writers Guild Awards, while adapted screenplays were nominated from several of the year's bigger releases including The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Cold Mountain. Nominated for original screenplay were Gurinder Chadha, Paul Berges and Guljit Bindra for Fox Searchlight Pictures' Bend It Like Beckham, Steven Knight for Miramax Films' Dirty Pretty Things, Jim Sheridan and daughters Naomi Sheridan and Kirsten Sheridan for Fox Searchlight Pictures' In America, Sofia Coppola for Focus Features' Lost in Translation, and Tom McCarthy for Miramax Films' The Station Agent. Adapted screenplay nominees were: Robert Pulcini and Shari Berman for HBO Films/Fine Line Features' American Splendor, based on the comic book series by Harvey Pekar and novel by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner; Anthony Minghella for Miramax Films' Cold Mountain, based on the novel by Charles Frazier; Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson for New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien; Brian Helgeland for Warner Bros. Pictures' Mystic River, based on the novel by Dennis Lehane; and Gary Ross for Universal Pictures' Seabiscuit based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand.