A statue of Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones unveiled in London | film

Bridget Jones, the character created by Helen Fielding and played by Renée Zellweger in four films, will be immortalized in bronze in central London.

The new statue will be unveiled on November 17, and will join a number of others depicting major cinema icons in Leicester Square, home to four cinemas and numerous red carpet premieres.

This news was first reported by Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye, who spoke to Eric Fellner, co-president of Working Title, the studio behind the film adaptations.

Fellner said he was “very excited” about the development because “we’ve never had anything like this before. I think it’s great because Bridget is a real London hero and the idea of ​​Bridget being in a fantastic location in central London is a really exciting idea.”

He added, “This is the first time they have introduced a romantic comedy character.”

Designed by London-based studio 3D Eye, the statue will become a permanent fixture in the square, which already includes bronze statues of Paddington Bear, Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, Batman, Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, Indiana Jones, Charlie Chaplin and Daniel Kaluuya’s character in Get Out.

Zellweger will be present at the film’s unveiling, along with Fellner, co-star Sally Phillips, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall, who played two men vying for the heroine’s affection in the latest film, Mad About the Boy.

In this film, Jones struggles to raise two young children after the death of her husband, Mark Darcy, played by Colin Firth.

It remains unclear whether the statue will depict the character in this fourth film, or whether the bronze statue will reflect her penchant for Chardonnay, cigarettes, and large underwear.

“I like the idea of ​​that [Fielding’s] “A brilliant write-up in a newspaper 30 years ago ended up in a statue in Leicester Square. It’s kind of cool,” Fellner said.

He added that although Fielding had not written a fifth book in the series that could be adapted into a film, he would be keen to pursue a fifth film, if she came up with an idea. Zellweger was also excited to return to the character.

The first film in the series, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was released 24 years ago, and was followed by Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Bridget Jones’s Baby, and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, which collectively grossed nearly $900 million at the global box office.

Part 4 was released directly in the United States but was a huge success in the United Kingdom and other territories, where it grossed over $100 million.