My Best Friend’s Wedding is one of the best comedies of the 1990s, and a sequel is now in the works, which could make a career first for Julia Roberts. Through several of the best romantic comedies of all time, Roberts distinguished herself as a sharp, funny, and charismatic performer alongside her excellent dramatic work.

A sequel to My Best Friend’s Wedding is currently being written by Celine Song, the Academy Award-nominated writer and director of Past Lives and this year’s Materialists​​​​​​. Song has a unique voice and style that blends romance with pertinent contemporary themes of belonging, all while intersecting with broader social ideas.

Song’s work has tended to be headier than one would expect from a sequel to My Best Friend’s Wedding, but Materialists, while less of a comedy than the marketing suggested, proved that she has skill in the genre. With Dermot Mulroney rumored to return, it is only a matter of time before Roberts’ involvement is made clear.

Julia Roberts Has Never Made A Sequel To One Of Her Movies

The Only Straight Sequels Roberts Has Done Have Been Ensemble Pieces

Julia Roberts’ best movies where she played a main role have never received sequels in her nearly 40-year career in film. The award-winning actor first broke through in Mystic Pizza before becoming a global sensation for her role in Pretty Woman, which went on to earn $463 million against a $14 million budget.

Throughout the 1990s and the 2000s, Roberts became one of the most in-demand actors in the world. She starred in comedies and dramas alike and was a highly visible celebrity. However, despite making dozens of films, no sequels to тιтles like Erin Brockovich or America’s Sweethearts were ever made.

Granted, there are a few exceptions to this. Roberts played a notable part in Ocean’s Eleven as Tess Ocean, and reprised the role in Ocean’s Twelve. However, she was at the bottom of the cast list of those posters, and it is difficult to think of them as Julia Roberts movies rather than Steven Soderbergh movies, or George Clooney movies.

Adaptations of properties that have already been made should also be acknowledged. Roberts appeared in Hook, which was a sequel to the Peter Pan stories, and also appeared in remakes and reboots. She also appeared in both Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, which were thematically connected.

With all of that said, the closest that has occurred to a sequel to one of Roberts’ own films was in 1999. This was largely a marketing choice and helped to make said film a box office success.

Runaway Bride was presented as a thematic follow-up to Pretty Woman. The movie reunited the stars of Pretty Woman with the director, Garry Marshall, for a new romantic comedy. This was a similar method to the Jamie Lee Curtis movie Fierce Creatures, which attempted to follow up on the success of A Fish Called Wanda.

The Richard Gere and Roberts-starring Runaway Bride was not a traditional sequel, but it was sold on the appeal of Roberts, Gere, and Marshall coming back together. This upcoming My Best Friend’s Wedding 2 could be a much more traditional sequel for the star, although details of the film are still forthcoming.

Julia Roberts Isn’t Confirmed For My Best Friend’s Wedding 2, But She Must Come Back

Details On The Film Are Still Scarce

The sequel to My Best Friend’s Wedding is still early in development, so the cast has not yet been confirmed. However, it does not seem possible to make a sequel to the film without bringing back Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and most importantly, Roberts.

The cast of the original film is what made it so beloved, and it would be hard to replicate that feel without them. Finding out what has happened to Jules in the intervening decades would be the biggest appeal of the film. Without Roberts, it would be hard to justify this new project.

Roberts has been more focused on dramas in recent years, but she has also done several comedies. The Indonesia-filmed Ticket to Paradise saw her starring alongside George Clooney in a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a wedding.

In addition, the involvement of someone like Song might entice Roberts back. Song has become one of the more interesting creatives in contemporary Hollywood and, while Materialists did not receive the same praise as Past Lives​​​​​​, she has a distinct voice that could help this sequel feel very fresh and original.

Granted, there are ways to do sequels without bringing back the original cast. Twisters was a sequel to Twister, another 1990s hit, but had a new cast and very few connections to the original. There have actually been several sequels without the original cast throughout the years, although it is notable that few of these have been romantic comedies.

Romantic comedies are often built on their star power, charisma, and chemistry, all of which require the original cast to return. Exceptions to this have tended to be straight-to-video releases, like Mean Girls 2. It is then imperative that Roberts come back for My Best Friend’s Wedding 2 and break this long-running career streak.

A sequel to My Best Friend’s Wedding needs Roberts. Julianne “Jules” Potter is one of the best characters in romantic comedy history, and seeing her return after all of these years would feel so familiar and yet fresh. Having the rest of the cast is important, but it’s hard to see how this sequel could work without its leading lady.