Two decades after Bend It Like Beckham captured hearts and inspired a wave of female footballers, director Gurinder Chadha is ready to revisit the world that made her a household name.
The 2002 feel-good film, which launched the careers of Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra, became more than just a box office success — it became a cultural milestone.
Now, as women’s football enjoys unprecedented visibility and support, Chadha believes the timing is finally right to continue the story.
Sequel Plans Tied to Women’s Football Boom
While attending a media event in Basel on Saturday, Chadha teased that she’s actively working on a follow-up, aiming for a 2027 release.
This date would coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original film and align with the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil — a symbolic way to honor how far women’s football has come.
“We’ve played a part in changing the game,” Chadha told the BBC.
“So it just felt like a good moment to go back and revisit those characters.”
Though she’s still undecided on whether the sequel will be a feature film or a television series, the wheels are definitely turning.
For over 20 years, fans have asked her — nearly twice a week — when they’ll see what happened next for Jess and Jules.
Social Commentary Still Relevant Today
Despite the progress, Chadha pointed out that many outdated views still linger.
“Even now, there are people who don’t take women’s football seriously,” she said, adding that the success of England’s Lionesses shows just how much potential still exists.
“I’ve waited, but now it feels right. Just look at the Euros, look at what these women are achieving.”
The idea isn’t just to pick up where the story left off but to challenge lingering stereotypes — much like the original film did back in 2002.
Original Cast and Cameos on the Horizon
Fans of the first movie might have even more reason to celebrate — Chadha hopes to bring back the original stars.
She even teased the possibility of today’s top female players making cameo appearances, saying she imagines they’d be “queuing up” to get involved in a film that helped pave the way for their own careers.
From Underdog to Global Hit
Back in 2002, Bend It Like Beckham surprised almost everyone, including its own creator.
Produced on a modest £3.5 million budget, the movie raked in nearly £60 million worldwide.
But it wasn’t just the numbers that mattered — it was the impact.
The story of Jess Bhamra, a young British Sikh girl who dreams of playing football despite her traditional parents’ expectations, struck a chord globally.
Her bond with Jules, a passionate white teammate, helped drive the narrative and its message of empowerment.
Chadha never expected the film to blow up. “I just wanted to make something uplifting,” she recalled.
“Girls were constantly being told how to behave, how to dress, what not to do. I wanted to show that you can do what you love and still be true to yourself.”
Keira Knightley’s Unlikely Breakthrough
For Keira Knightley, the film was the launchpad to superstardom — but it didn’t feel that way at the time.
Looking back during an interview on The Tonight Show in 2023, Knightley admitted that her peers actually made fun of her for taking the role.
“I told them, ‘It’s called Bend It Like Beckham,’ and they just laughed,” she recalled.
“They thought it sounded silly. Back then, women’s soccer wasn’t really a big deal, so they didn’t get it.”
But she got the last laugh.
Not only did the film become a fan favorite — to this day, she says it’s the one movie fans still mention the most — it also led to roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and Love Actually, both released the following year.
An Enduring Legacy With More to Say
What started as a story about two girls chasing their football dreams has become something much larger: a symbol of female empowerment, cultural clashes, and following your passion.
Gurinder Chadha feels the themes are still as relevant today as ever.
“There’s still more to explore, more to challenge,” she said.
So what’s next?
Whether it’s a series or another big-screen moment, fans can rest assured that Jess, Jules, and the world of Bend It Like Beckham aren’t done making history just yet.