Entertainment Weekly have exclusively announced this weekend that Bridget Jones is set to return with a second sequel, the third in the popular series based upon the books by Helen Fielding and starring Renee Zellweger as the title character, Bridget Jones, a young, independent woman navigating her way through family, friends and lovers in London.

The previous two films, Bridget Jones (2001) & Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) were brought to us by Working Title Films who are based within Universal Films. Online murmur first spoke of Working Title thinking about a second sequel since 2009 especially as the first film was an international hit, taking in a reported $281 million. Critics of the second slammed the film as incomparable to the original but it still raked in $262 million worldwide.

There are currently no solid details available about the third Bridget film but it has been mentioned that this years runaway comedy, Bridesmaids director, Paul Feig was previously being considered to direct the third film, with the 48-year-old reportedly being “beyond keen” to film a movie in London. Also, Renee Zellweger agreed to return to the role of Bridget Jones for a third film in March, apparently provided that she does not have to gain any weight.

Last year, Bridget costar Colin Firth, who plays lovable Mark Darcy, told EW’s Dave Karger some details about a possible plot. “I can tell you that Bridget and Mark can’t have children, I think that’s the way it goes on,” Firth told Karger, who was reporting for Access Hollywood. “So then she makes the huge mistake of going back to Daniel Cleaver [Hugh Grant’s character] for long enough to get pregnant. And I think he dumps her, and she’s left stranded, and guess who comes back to rescue her?”

Also earlier this year, the London Evening Standard reported that Fielding had begun writing the third installment of the best-selling books. At the time, she said there had been discussions about the next film. “I will be working on both the book and the film but I don’t know if they are the same thing yet. It’s not been decided.” Fielding’s original book won the 1998 British Book of the Year.

A musical version [of the story] is currently in the works, set to hit the West End stage sometime in 2011. British pop singer Lily Allen has written the score and lyrics, and Stephen Daldry will be directing, joined by his co-worker Peter Darling, who will serve as choreographer. An official cast for the production has not yet been finalised, but workshops for the show have already begun with TV actress and star of Legally Blonde the Musical, Sheridan Smith, in the title role.

I may be being very biased here, due to massive love for both the Bridget Jones films, but I am very excited at the prospect of seeing a third story showing what has happened to Bridget, Mark and Daniel since we last saw them in 2004. Here’s for hoping they make a good effort at the picture, they have been debating it long enough!