Nearly a quarter-century after Andie Anderson and Benjamin Barry's chaotic courtship captivated moviegoers, Paramount Pictures is developing a sequel to How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days — and the studio wants its original stars back for the ride.
What We Know So Far
The project is in early development, with no screenwriter, director, or confirmed cast attached yet [1]. Kate Hudson is set to produce through her Shiny Penny banner alongside veteran producer Stacey Sher, whose credits include Pulp Fiction, Erin Brockovich, and Django Unchained [1]. The studio's stated intention is to have both Hudson and McConaughey reprise their roles, though casting will ultimately hinge on the screenplay's direction [2]. Representatives for both stars did not immediately respond to requests for comment [1].
The absence of a writer at this stage means the sequel is still very much a blank page — a fact worth underscoring given how much the original's success depended on its sharp, high-concept premise.
The Original's Enduring Pull
The 2003 film, directed by Donald Petrie and loosely adapted from Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long's picture book of the same name, centered on a delightfully absurd romantic collision [2]. Hudson's Andie, a magazine columnist, deliberately becomes the worst possible girlfriend as research for an article on modern dating — while McConaughey's advertising executive Ben secretly bets his boss he can make any woman fall for him [1]. The two schemes, of course, collide in ways neither character anticipated.
The film grossed nearly $180 million worldwide against a reported $50 million budget, and it remains one of the more fondly remembered rom-coms of the century [1][2]. Its staying power is evident in more than just critical affection: McConaughey recently told the Happy Sad Confused podcast that How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days "still pays the best 'mailbox money' of any film I've ever done, by far" [2].
The chemistry between the two leads has also aged well in the public memory. In 2024, McConaughey recalled to People the ease of their early dynamic: "Immediately, we were comfortable with each other, and we jacked with each other, and we busted each other's chops, and we laughed a lot. There was a bit of rock and roll exchange, like, 'Oh, this could be some heavyweight fun'" [2].
Hollywood's Nostalgia Moment
The sequel announcement arrives amid a clear industry-wide bet on Y2K-era IP. So far in 2026, The Devil Wears Prada 2, a new Scary Movie, and Toy Story 5 have all performed strongly at the box office by mining late-1990s and early-2000s source material [1]. The Devil Wears Prada 2 alone grossed $692 million globally [2]. More nostalgia plays are queued up: Practical Magic 2 and Focker-In-Law are approaching release, with Shrek 5 and Greta Gerwig's Narnia adaptation slated for 2027 [1].
For Paramount, a How to Lose a Guy sequel fits neatly into that playbook — a beloved, profitable property with two stars whose careers have only grown in stature since the original.
Where Hudson and McConaughey Stand Now
Both leads have had significant career moments in the years since their rom-com pairing. Hudson's most recent theatrical role came in 2025's Song Sung Blue, which earned her a second Oscar nomination; her first came for her iconic performance as Penny Lane in Almost Famous [1]. She is also currently leading the Netflix sports comedy series Running Point [1]. Her role as producer on the sequel makes her involvement in front of the camera a natural, if not yet confirmed, next step.
McConaughey's trajectory since the original has been more deliberately distanced from the genre. He consciously stepped away from romantic comedies in the 2010s, reshaping his public image through dramatic roles in Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street, Interstellar, and Dallas Buyers Club, the last of which earned him the 2014 Best Actor Oscar [1]. He only recently ended a six-year absence from the big screen with The Rivals of Amziah King [1]. Despite that distance, he has described How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days as an "anchor" in the rom-com canon [1] — language that suggests the door is open, even if no deal has been signed.
What to Watch Next
The immediate priority for Paramount and the producers is finding a screenwriter whose take can satisfy both the studio and, presumably, its hoped-for stars. Once a script is in place, formal casting conversations can begin in earnest. Whether Hudson and McConaughey ultimately sign on — and how a sequel would update Andie and Ben's story for an audience two decades older — remains the central question hanging over the project. Given the commercial momentum of nostalgia sequels in 2026, expect the industry to be watching this one closely.
