More than two decades after How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days became a romantic comedy favorite, a sequel is officially in development. Kate Hudson is attached to produce the follow-up, 23 years after she starred alongside Matthew McConaughey in the 2003 film. The project is still in its early stages, but the filmmakers hope to bring both stars back as Andie Anderson and Benjamin Barry.
A Rom-Com Favorite Is Getting Another Chapter
Paramount Pictures is developing the sequel, with Hudson producing alongside Stacey Sher through Sher’s Shiny Penny Productions. Sher’s producing credits include Pulp Fiction, Erin Brockovich and Django Unchained.
However, fans may have to wait before learning exactly what the new film will look like. Development is in the “very early days,” and the studio is still looking for a screenwriter. No official plot, release date or complete cast has been announced.
The intention is to have Hudson and McConaughey reprise their famous roles, although their appearances will depend on the story developed by the eventual writer. Neither actor has publicly commented on the latest reports.
Andie and Ben’s Unusual Love Story
The original How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days was released in 2003 and followed two people who entered a relationship for very different professional reasons.
Hudson played Andie Anderson, a magazine columnist who wanted to write more serious stories. For an assignment about modern dating, she set out to find a man and deliberately make him leave her within 10 days.
McConaughey played advertising executive Benjamin Barry, who happened to be conducting an experiment of his own. He made a bet that he could make any woman fall in love with him within the same 10-day period. Andie became his target without either of them knowing about the other’s plan.
Their competing schemes created the comedy at the center of the movie, but their fake relationship eventually developed into genuine feelings.
The film became a major commercial success, earning about $177.5 million worldwide against a reported $50 million budget. It also continued to find audiences through home video, television and streaming long after its theatrical release.
Hudson and McConaughey Have Been Open to Returning
A sequel has been discussed for years, and Hudson has previously said she would consider returning if the right story came along.
“All that matters [to me] would be the script and if Matthew [McConaughey] and I were into the script,” Hudson said in 2024 while appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.
“I think we’re both totally open, it has just never happened,” she added.
Hudson has also imagined what Andie and Ben’s lives might look like decades after the first movie.
“My hope is that [Andie and Ben] are happy, they’ve got a bunch of kids, they got married, and they’re still playing Bullshit with his parents,” Hudson told Vanity Fair in 2023. “If there was a sequel, I’m sure there would be some conflict in there somewhere.”
The Chemistry That Made the Movie Work
Hudson and McConaughey have remained fond of their time making the movie. During a 2023 reunion marking its 20th anniversary, they discussed the chemistry that helped make Andie and Ben’s relationship memorable.
“We enjoy going toe-to-toe,” McConaughey said when discussing their ability to work and improvise together.
Hudson said their performances also benefited from the freedom they felt while working together.
“I think maybe it has something to do with our freedom. I feel like we’re both very free,” Hudson said. “We don’t constrict ourselves to an idea of what we’re ‘supposed’ to be doing. There’s something spontaneous about the way we were able to work together.”
That chemistry could become one of the most important pieces of the sequel if both actors ultimately return.
A Movie That Found a New Generation
Part of the reason a sequel remains attractive 23 years later is the original film’s staying power. Younger audiences have continued to discover the movie long after its release.
Hudson previously recalled being surprised when teenage fans recognized her because of the film.
“Oh, my God, 20 years later,” she remembered thinking after young fans approached her. “Wow, this movie just keeps living.”
McConaughey has also spoken about the film’s lasting success. He recently described How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days as “the gift that keeps on giving” and said it remains his most lucrative film in terms of residual payments.
“I think it’s, probably, my favorite rom-com I’ve done, and a lot of people love that rom-com,” McConaughey said.
Hollywood Looks Back to the 2000s
The planned sequel also arrives during a wider wave of Hollywood nostalgia. Studios have increasingly returned to popular movies and franchises from the late 1990s and early 2000s, hoping to attract original fans while introducing familiar stories to younger audiences.
In 2026, films including The Devil Wears Prada 2, Scary Movie and Toy Story 5 have already tapped into that nostalgia, while other familiar franchises have new installments planned.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is especially suited to that trend because the film has remained recognizable more than two decades after its release. Its mix of romance, comedy and memorable moments has helped it survive far beyond its original theatrical run.
The Sequel Still Has Plenty of Questions to Answer
For now, the biggest details remain undecided. Paramount still needs to select a writer and settle on a story before the cast can be finalized. There is also no announced production schedule or release date.
But Hudson’s involvement as a producer gives the project a direct connection to the original movie, while the hope of reuniting her with McConaughey offers fans the possibility of discovering what happened to Andie and Ben after their unusual 10-day romance.
Twenty-three years after their complicated dating experiment turned into love, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days may finally be ready for its next chapter. Whether Andie and Ben are married with children, facing a new romantic challenge or living a completely unexpected life remains unknown. What is clear is that the movie’s enduring popularity has given Hollywood a reason to bring its famous couple back for another story.
