Keira Knightley Making Sequel To Her Best Movie?
Even though Gurinder Chadha, the writer and director of 2002’s Bend It Like Beckham, stated that she initially didn’t want to make a sequel to the indie movie starring Keira Knightley due to the magic created by the original cast, the recent success of both football in entertainment media, and Lionesses team at the World Cup—at least according to Metro.co.uk—has sparked the writer/director’s interest in exploring a possible sequel, Bend it Like Beckham 2.
Though pleasant, the news about the possible Bend It Like Beckham 2 doesn’t actually come as a surprise. Football—the European kind—is currently a major trend in the entertainment industry, from the hit Ted Lasso series to the recently released David Beckham documentary.
Gurinder Chadha, the director and writer of the Keira Knightley-starring Bend It Like Beckham, is interested in making a sequel to the hit movie.
In her interview with Metro, Chadha revealed that the rising popularity of women’s football and the massive success of certain sports clubs is sparking her interest in making a part two to one of the best football movies ever made—though she didn’t mention Keira Knightley’s possible appearance.
But the advent of women’s sports and the success of sports clubs apparently isn’t the only thing in play here, and any talks of purported Bend It Like Beckham 2 (with our without Keira Knightley) could be attributed to several different factors.
The first movie, starring Keira Knightley, was a massive success, so why not combine the public demand and the current tide in the entertainment industry to provide the audiences with what they want?
Sure, women’s sports, particularly football, have spiked in popularity. And yes, the success of The Lionesses—England women’s national football team—in the World Cup also played a role. But Chadha also received an inaugural star on the National Lottery’s new Walk of Stars—the equivalent to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which highlights UK talent.
Gurinder Chadha stated that the accolades, and particularly the star she was awarded, made her feel that her global audience deserved a small preview or taste of something. Given the rise in popularity of women’s football and the success of England’s women’s national team, why not make Bend It Like Beckham 2? The first movie, starring Keira Knightley, was a massive success, so why not combine the public demand and the current tide in the entertainment industry to provide the audiences with what they want?
The original Bend It Like Beckham is centered on Jess, portrayed by Parminder Nagra, a British Indian teenager with a strong passion for British football and a crush on football star David Beckham. Despite Jess’ love and dedication to the sport, her traditionally oriented parents would prefer to see Jess focused on school and eventually finding a suitable husband.
Keira Knightley’s Potential Role In A Sequel
However, she’s invited to the local women’s football team by her friend Jules (Keira Knightley), and the two set out to achieve their dream. It’s not hard imagining them as soccer moms in Bend It Like Beckham 2.
The original movie was praised for its approach to girlhood, friendship, and stereotypical gender roles and expectations that girls in male-dominated activities often face. So, while nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet, the possibility of Bend It like Beckham 2 still remains. Bend It Like Beckham, starring Keira Knightley, is currently available for streaming on Hulu, Disney+, and Paramount+.
