‘Bridesmaids’ Director Paul Feig Was Told Film Would Flop and Prevent Female-Led Comedies From Being Made: ‘Am I Gonna Ruin Movies for Women?’

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/bridesmaids-director-flop-comedy-women-1236332027/

22 comments

  1. > “So many female writer friends of mine were going out and pitching female-led comedies, and they all heard from the studios: ‘We have to wait and see how ‘Bridesmaids’ does,’” Feig said. “I was like, ‘Fuck! Don’t put that on me. Am I gonna ruin movies for women?’” He also pointed out a double-standard, saying, “I don’t think with ‘The Hangover’ they said, ‘I’m gonna wait to see all these dudes on screen before we do this again.’ But thank god it did well.”

    > “Right till the day we came out, we were predicted to not do well,” Feig said. “We were told, ‘You have to make $20 million on opening weekend, or you will be considered a failure.’ And we did a midnight screening the night before that didn’t go well. They were like, ‘It’s gonna be $13 million. Sorry, it’s a bomb.’ All day, I was walking around, like, ‘I guess I destroyed comedy for women.’”

  3. “We can’t make a female led comedy, because then others won’t make a female led comedy” seems like a illogical circle of dumb

  4. To be fair, I’ve never seen Bridesmaids but his Ghostbusters movie was garbage.

  5. I’M SHITTING IN THE STREET will live forever in my mind

  7. Probably one of the best comedies made in the last 20 years

  9. To me, he’ll always be Mr Poole from season 1 of Sabrina The Teenage Witch

    Always felt bad for that dude. He and Zelda would’ve made a good couple

  10. I mean First Wives Club was successful but the producers specifically cancelled the sequel still.

  13. there were no expectations from the beginning, that’s why Paul Fieg was able to direct the film.

    Feig was previously put in “Director Jail” after Unaccompanied Minors (2006) completely bombed at the box office.

  19. Literally one of the best movies of all time. Divine chemistry.

  20. Right Director, wrong movie.

    Ghostbusters ruined movies for women.

    But I forgive him. I’ll always love Ski Patrol.

  21. Always greatly preferred Bridesmaids to The Hangover; I just think the latter was more popular because it was guys and a lot of people weren’t willing to give funny women a chance

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