The Release Date Of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3

The third installment in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise was released in the United States on 8 September 2023. The film was written and directed by Nia Vardalos, who also reprised her role as Toula Portokalos.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 release date: 8th September 2023

The third instalment of the 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' film series, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3', was released in the United States on 8 September 2023 by Focus Features. The film was written and directed by Nia Vardalos, who also stars as Toula Portokalos.

Vardalos confirmed on Instagram in June 2022 that the movie was filming in Greece, and the trailer was released on 11 May 2023.

The film follows the death of Gus Portokalos, the family's patriarch, and Toula's attempts to locate her father's childhood friends in Greece for a family reunion. The Portokalos family grapples with grief, as Nick returns home, Athena and her husband Yiannis care for Maria, who is battling dementia, and Toula and Ian face the challenges of parenthood as their daughter Paris struggles with the responsibility of college.

The film received generally negative reviews from critics, but it grossed $39 million worldwide.

The film's plot

The plot of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' centres on the death of the family patriarch, Gus Portokalos, and the Portokalos family's journey to Greece to fulfil his last wish. The film follows the family as they grapple with grief and personal challenges, while also trying to locate Gus' childhood friends in Greece for a family reunion.

The film begins with the introduction of Victory, a distant relative and the mayor of Gus' hometown, Vrisi. She invites the family to a supposed reunion in Greece. On the flight, Aunt Voula introduces her assistant, Aristotle, who is also Paris' college-mate, and Toula reveals she is bringing Gus' journal to give to his three childhood friends.

Upon their arrival in Athens, the family goes sightseeing and locates Gus' childhood home in the nearly abandoned Vrisi. There, they meet Alexandra, Gus' old flame, and Victory confesses that there is no actual reunion planned, but she hopes the Portokalos family will help revive the village. The following day, the family explores the nearby town, where Toula searches for Gus' friends without success and ends up getting drunk on ouzo. Meanwhile, Ian befriends a monk who possesses information about everyone's activities in the village, and Aristotle tries to communicate with Paris, who rebuffs him.

At dinner, the family meets Alexandra's son, Peter, whom Gus never knew about, as well as his son Christos, and Alexandra's assistant, Qamar. The next day, Toula informs the family about Peter but continues to struggle to locate Gus' friends. However, the monk provides Ian with a list of people who left the village, leading Nikki and Angelo to Syros, where they find one of Gus' friends.

The film also explores the relationships between the younger characters. Paris, Toula and Ian's daughter, is on academic probation, and Aristotle, her love interest, tries to communicate with her despite her rebuffs. Christos and Qamar, another young couple, are secretly betrothed, and their engagement is later revealed to the family.

The film builds towards a joyous celebration—the wedding of Qamar and Christos—which brings the family together and allows them to scatter Gus' ashes around the oldest tree in Vrisi, fulfilling his last wish. The film concludes with the Portokalos family, now including Peter, returning to America, with Toula and Nick playfully disputing who should lead the family.

Cast and characters

The cast of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' has always been one of the biggest draws for the series, and 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' sees the return of several key actors and their beloved characters. Leading the cast is Nia Vardalos, who not only reprises her role as Toula Portokalos but also steps behind the camera as the film's writer and director. Vardalos's real-life husband, Ian Miller, is played by John Corbett, who has also starred in the hit HBO show 'Sex and the City'. Their daughter, Paris Miller, is portrayed by Elena Kampouris, who has appeared in films like 'Before I Fall' and shows like 'Jupiter's Legacy'.

Other returning cast members include Lainie Kazan as Maria Portokalos, Toula's mother; Louis Mandylor as Nick Portokalos, Toula's brother; Andrea Martin as Theia Voula, the fun-loving aunt; and Gia Carides as Cousin Nikki. Joey Fatone, a former member of the popular boy band NSYNC, plays Cousin Angelo.

New additions to the cast include Elias Kacavas as Aristotle, Paris' love interest, and Melina Kotselou in an undisclosed role.

Sadly, Michael Constantine, who portrayed the beloved family patriarch Gus Portokalos in the first two films, passed away in 2021 and does not appear in the third instalment. However, his character's presence is still felt in the film as the family grapples with his passing and sets out to fulfil his last wishes.

Character Arcs and Storylines

In 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3', the Portokalos family travels to Greece for a family reunion, following the death of their patriarch, Gus. The trip becomes a heartwarming and hilarious journey full of love, twists, and turns as they navigate grief, relationships, and cultural connections.

Toula, the heart of the family, embarks on a personal journey to explore her late father's past in Greece, illuminating her own life and connection to her heritage. Her brother, Nick, separated from his wife, returns home and displays immature behaviour. Their mother, Maria, is battling dementia and is cared for by her daughter, Athena, and son-in-law, Yiannis.

Paris, Toula and Ian's daughter, faces challenges in her relationship with Aristotle, and the two struggle to communicate honestly. The family also encounters unexpected revelations, such as the existence of a half-brother, Peter, and his family, as well as the betrothal of Aristotle and Qamar, Paris' college friend.

The film explores themes of family, love, loss, and cultural traditions, all while showcasing the beautiful scenery of Greece and providing a healthy dose of humour and heart.

Reception and reviews

'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' was released on 8 September 2023 in the United States by Focus Features. It was made available on digital platforms on 26 September 2023 and on Blu-ray and DVD on 31 October 2023.

The film received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a score of 29% based on 94 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The consensus on the website states: "Amiable and sunny if often unamusing, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 repeats much of what audiences loved the first time around but suffers from diminishing returns." Metacritic gave the film a score of 35 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.

CinemaScore gave the film a "B" grade, while PostTrak reported that audiences gave it a 73% overall positive score, with 55% saying they would definitely recommend it.

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 with $10 million from 3,650 theatres, ranking 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 in fourth place.

As of 31 October 2023, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' has grossed $28.5 million in the United States and Canada, and $10.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $39.1 million.

While some viewers enjoyed the film, describing it as "good, light-hearted fun" with "beautiful scenery", "some genuine laughs", and "a healthy dose of heart", others criticised it for its "lazy writing", "lazy performances", and "unnecessary plot", with forced jokes and "thinly drawn characters". Some viewers also felt that the film did not live up to the first two instalments in the series, with one viewer commenting that "the third time is not a charm".

Filming locations

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 was filmed entirely in Greece, with locations in Athens and on the islands of Corfu, Santorini, Paros, Hydra, and Crete.

Athens was a significant filming location, with the airport transformed to resemble O'Hare airport in Chicago, and the historic neighbourhood of Plaka, known for its neoclassical architecture, narrow streets, and quaint village feel, used for several scenes. A house in a wealthy suburb of Athens was also used as the interior filming location for the family home.

The cast also travelled to the Island of Corfu, filming in the neoclassical village of Varipatades and showcasing the island's stunning castles.

Other filming locations included Santorini, where a night wedding scene was shot, and coastline views of Paros, Hydra, and Crete.

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