My Big Fat Greek Wedding Returns To Theaters: Bigger And Better

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a romantic comedy film series written by and starring Nia Vardalos. The first film, released in 2002, follows Vardalos' character Toula, a young Greek-American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man, Ian Miller, and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. The film was a critical and commercial success, leading to two sequels and a short-lived TV series. The third film in the franchise, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, was released in theatres on September 8, 2023, and is currently screening in cinemas.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 release date

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 was released in theatres on September 8, 2023, and is set to be released on US home digital on September 26, 2023. The film is a joint production of Playtone, Gold Circle Films, HBO Films, and Focus Features.

The film is written and directed by Nia Vardalos, who also reprises her role as Toula. The plot follows the Portokalos family on a trip to Greece for a family reunion after the death of Toula's father, Gus. The film has a rating of PG-13 and is 1 hour and 31 minutes long.

The cast includes:

• Elena Kampouris as Paris
• Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula
• Maria Vacratsis as Aunt Frieda
• Elias Kacavas as Aristotle
• Melina Kotselou as Victory
• Anthi Andreopoulou as Alexandra
• Alexis Georgoulis as Peter
• Giannis Vasilottos as Christos

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 plot

The Portokalos family is dealing with a lot of grief in the third installment of the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" series. Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) are happily married, but facing the challenges of parenthood as their daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) struggles with the responsibility of college. Nick (Louis Mandylor), now separated, returns home and displays immature behaviour. Athena and her husband Yiannis are caring for Maria (Lainie Kazan), who is battling dementia.

The family travels to Greece for a reunion in the village of Vrisi, the hometown of the late Gus Portokalos, where they are greeted by Victory (Melina Kotselou), the mayor of the village. Victory has organised the reunion in the hopes of reviving the nearly abandoned village.

Toula is on a mission to fulfil her father's wish of having his journal, which tells the story of his life, delivered to his childhood friends. While in Greece, the family discovers a secret: Gus had a son, Peter (Alexis Georgoulis), with the village matriarch, Alexandra (Anthi Andreopoulou). Peter also has a son, Christos (Giannis Vasilottos), who is in a secret relationship with a Syrian refugee named Qamar (Stephanie Nur).

Christos and Qamar's relationship mirrors Toula and Ian's love story in the first film, as they face the challenges of a cross-cultural relationship. When the family discovers their secret, Christos and Qamar decide to get engaged, despite disapproval from Peter and Alexandra. However, after some family conversations, everyone comes around, and the film ends with a big, fat, Greek-Syrian wedding, infusing both Greek and Syrian wedding traditions.

In addition to the wedding, the film also explores the relationships between the younger characters, Paris and Aristotle (Elias Kacavas), as well as the dynamics between the Portokalos siblings, Toula and Nick, as they cope with the loss of their father and the gradual loss of their mother.

The film received generally negative reviews from critics but was a financial success, grossing $39 million worldwide.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 cast

The 2023 American romantic comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" sees the return of the Portokalos family, this time travelling to Greece for a family reunion. The film was written and directed by Nia Vardalos, who also reprises her role as Toula.

The cast features:

• John Corbett as Ian Miller, Toula's husband.
• Louis Mandylor as Nick Portokalos, Toula's brother.
• Elena Kampouris as Paris Miller, Toula and Ian's daughter.
• Lainie Kazan as Maria Portokalos, Toula's mother who is battling dementia.
• Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula.
• Gia Carides as Cousin Nikki.
• Joey Fatone as Cousin Angelo.
• Maria Vacratsis as Aunt Thiea.
• Anthi Andreopoulou as Alexandra, Gus's old flame.
• Alexis Georgoulis as Peter, Alexandra's son and Gus's unknown son.
• Giannis Vasilottos as Christos, Peter's son.
• Stephanie Nur as Qamar, Alexandra's assistant and Christos's betrothed.
• Elias Kacavas as Aristotle, Paris's college-mate and love interest.

The film also features a number of new characters, including relatives and friends of the Portokalos family, as well as villagers from Greece.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 reviews

The third instalment of Nia Vardalos's nuptial franchise, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3", has received mixed reviews. While some critics appreciate the film's heartwarming and hilarious tone, beautiful scenery, and sweet story, others find it unfunny, formulaic, and a waste of time.

The film follows the Portokalos family as they travel to Greece for a family reunion, honouring the wish of the deceased family patriarch, Gus. Vardalos, who writes, directs, and stars in the film, has created a comfortable and familiar formula that satisfies audiences. The film introduces several "conflicts" that are easily resolved without much sacrifice or effort from the characters, maintaining a light-hearted and feel-good atmosphere.

However, some critics found the film underwhelming, with lazy writing and performances, and forced jokes. They also criticised the lack of depth in the characters and the plot, with one reviewer calling it "a fever dream of bad choices".

Despite its shortcomings, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" offers some genuine laughs and heartwarming moments, especially for fans of the franchise eager to reconnect with beloved characters. The film also attempts to modernise and address contemporary issues, such as the integration of Syrian refugees and the inclusion of a non-binary character, Victory, the mayor of Toula's ancestral village.

Overall, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" provides light-hearted entertainment and a comforting sense of familiarity for fans of the franchise, even if it doesn't quite live up to the charm of the original.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 box office performance

'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' was released by Focus Features in the United States on September 8, 2023. The film, written and directed by Nia Vardalos, stars Vardalos, John Corbett, Louis Mandylor, Elena Kampouris, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Lainie Kazan, and Andrea Martin. It is the first film in the franchise not to star Michael Constantine, Bess Meisler, and Ian Gomez, who have all passed away.

The film received generally negative reviews from critics, with a 29% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, it has been a commercial success, grossing $39 million worldwide as of October 31, 2023. The film made $3.7 million on its first day in the United States and Canada, including $550,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $10 million from 3,650 theaters, finishing third at the box office behind 'The Nun II' and 'The Equalizer 3'. In its second weekend, the film made $4.7 million, a drop of 53%, finishing fourth.

The film's budget is estimated to be equivalent to or slightly below $18 million, with marketing budgets potentially doubling this amount. To be considered a financial success and to continue the franchise, the film needed to gross at least $57.5 million at the box office. As of July 19, 2024, the film had ended its domestic run after 8 weeks with a total domestic gross of $28.4 million.

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