BJD3 cancelled, but novel + musical not?

bridgetjonestheedgeofreason.co.uk still active (just - see below)

UPDATE 2015: Still awaiting confirmation (Wiki)

UPDATE 3RD JUNE 2013: NOVEL OUT, FILM STILL LIKELY? read more.

Surprising (welcome?!) news that the 3rd BJD movie, announced back in 2011, looks set for a delay at best. When it was announced in 2011 there seemed to be considerable audience interest, and prospects looked strong for a hit. With fem-friendly movies like Bridesmaids proving box office gold in the meantime, the timing seemed spot on, but the movie seems to have entered development hell (a term employed by famous producers such as Art Linson to describe movies stuck in the pre-production stage), although the 3rd novel is set for UK and US releases in 2013.

I'd previously blogged on the 2011 announcement here.

Here's the Chicago Sun-Times with the updated news:

Although a third film was said to be in the planning back in 2011, actor Colin Firth today tells the Chicago Sun-Times that plans for another sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary may be some time off.

"Unfortunately, it might be a bit of a long wait," he says. "I wouldn’t say that it’s completely dead in the water, but the way it’s going you might be seeing Bridget Jones’ granddaughter’s story being told by the time we get there. … There is a joy of doing those movies that keeps hope alive. And the story is going in an interesting direction. I just wouldn’t say that the movie is imminent."

The original film, released in 2001, starred Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Firth and earned an impressive $544.4 million worldwide. It was followed by a sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason in 2004.

[original article; quoted here]

This seems to firm up reports that emerged around Xmas 2012:

The future of Bridget Jones 3 is uncertain, Working Title Films has said.
Company head Eric Fellner has said that they are considering the sequel, but will not go ahead with it unless they can get it right.
"We're always looking at it," he told ComingSoon.net.
"We'll only do it if we can crack it creatively, so maybe we will, maybe we won't. We'll see what happens. If we can get it right next year, we'll try and do it next year, but if we can't, we won't."
The film - which has been tentatively titled Bridget Jones's Baby - apparently stalled when star Hugh Grant was dissatisfied with the script.
Co-stars Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth has also been connected to the potential sequel.

[from DigitalSpy]

No 'news' for a year - but you can still buy the soundtrack for 69p a tune. Cynical long-tail example?

I checked the website (the one you'll find high up in google results for 'bridget jones') from the previous release in the franchise, 2004's Edge of Reason, and it remains live, if not much updated: the Twitter feed hasn't been updated for a year, and the site's last 'news' update was a year ago (May 2012 - see screenshot).

The two BJD movies were relative pioneers of using social media and mobiles to 'interact' with their audience, though this often boiled down to premium rate text messages back in those days. They were also able to attract considerable financing through product placement and tie-ins.
Will we be 'treated' to a 3rd outing for dashing Darcy, bulimic Bridget and dastardly Daniel? I hope not!

If you're of a different view, you will at least have the book to look forward to - and a possible musical, composed by Lilly Cooper (Allen) - in 2013. [UPDATE 2015 - Allen pulled out]

Agents for author Helen Fielding have confirmed that her third instalment of the Bridget Jones's Diary book series will have an autumn release date.

Literary agents, Aitken Alexander Associates, say there is no concrete date as Helen "is still writing the book".
A spokesperson told Newsbeat, they are "under the impression it could be on sale in October of this year".
As yet there is still no title for the third instalment of the series.
It's thought the book has been given a US release date for November.
  Helen Fielding's books were originally published in The Independent Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour last November, Fielding said: "I'm having a lot of fun and it's very funny and it's making me laugh."
The first book, Bridget Jones's Diary, was published in 1996 and turned into a film starring Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Renee Zellweger.
The second book, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, was published three years later.
It was also adapted into a romantic comedy movie with much of the same cast as the first film.
Both books sold more than 15 million copies and are published in more than 40 countries around the world.
A further film sequel Bridget Jones's Baby by Working Title Films is due for release at some point this year.
Colin Firth and Hugh Grant are set to return as Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver.
Lilly Cooper (formerly Allen) has also written music for Bridget Jones the musical, which was is due to appear on London's West End.
Bridget Jones was born out of a weekly column in The Independent in 1995.

[BBC]