'Bend It Like Beckham' sequel officially in the pipeline

Bend It Like Beckham is getting a sequel over 20 years after its release.

Director Gurinder Chadha confirmed on Saturday that a sequel to the 2002 film is now in development.

Speaking at an event in Basel, Chadha revealed plans to revisit the story that helped inspire a generation of young women to take up football.

"We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters," she told BBC.

Chadha is eyeing a 2027 release for the project, aligning with the film’s 25th anniversary and the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

She said she was still uncertain if the sequel would take up the form of a feature film or a television series.

The director also noted that fans have been requesting a follow-up "almost twice a week" since the original premiered.

"A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football," she added.

"There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high."

Chadha hopes to reunite the original cast, including Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra, and hinted that members of the current England women’s national team may appear in cameo roles.