For years afterwards, fans all but demanded a follow-up that captured that same lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry, expressing delight when the cast reunited as presenters at the 2026 Oscars. While a literal Bridesmaids sequel never materialised and, per Wiig, is not on the cards, a spiritual one did – and you might have missed it. Released quietly during the height of the Covid pandemic, the 2021 absurdist comedy Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar is the culotte-clad, DNA-carrying successor to Bridesmaids. The connection isn’t just behind the scenes through its creatives and stars Wiig and Mumolo; the characters were born during the Bridesmaids writing process.
While drafting their 2011 hit, Wiig and Mumolo frequently wandered off into long, bizarre tangents about middle-aged women, like the mother of Lillian (Maya Rudolph) discussing the finer points of buying artichoke dip at Costco with her best friends. As Wiig recalled to film site Letterboxd, “We were writing lots of scenes that you didn’t see in the movie, because it had nothing to do with the movie. Then we turned in the draft, and they were like, ‘What does this have to do with it?’” Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar is streaming on Tubi. Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow eventually told them to cut the scenes, leading the self-described “creative wives” to joke that one day, they would give these unsung ladies their own film.
Fast forward a decade and Wiig and Mumolo made good on that promise, resurrecting their dip-loving friends, in all seriousness, for their own moment in the sun. Although Bridesmaids was a solidly R 18+ comedy, Barb & Star leans into complete silliness with an MA 15+ film that echoes spy spoof franchises such as Austin Powers or Despicable Me (which also features the voice of Wiig). The story follows two best friends from Soft Rock, Nebraska, who – after losing their jobs in lounge suite sales – leave their suburban comfort zone to visit Florida at the urging of sun-kissed pal Mickey (played by another Bridesmaids alum, Wendi McLendon Covey). Another influence on the film was 1997 buddy comedy Romy And Micheles High School Reunion starring Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow. “We always loved and did sort of reference Romy And Michele from the beginning,” Mumolo told Letterboxd. “I think that there are so few human stories out there.
Right now, it’s all this big tentpole stuff, and we miss the smaller, human slice-of-life stories.” In between lounging by the pool, souvenir shopping and grazing the buffet, the well-coiffed Barb and Star uncover a nefarious plot involving lethal mosquitoes. Wiig, who plays both the bubbly Star and Sharon Gordon Fisherman, the pale-skinned villain, admits the tone was a departure from their previous hit and warned Lionsgate studio heads that the new film was not going to be Bridesmaids 2.0. Fortunately, Wiig said, “I think they genuinely wanted to take a chance and make a movie like this.” Along with the main stars’ natural chemistry, Barb & Star also features a surprisingly humorous turn from Jamie Dornan. Released from the bondage den of his three Fifty Shades Of Grey movies, Dornan was Wiig’s first pick for her cinematic love interest.
Not known for his comedy work, Dornan shocked Wiig and Mumolo when he agreed to the script, which required him to sing his character’s self-referential ballad, Edgar’s Prayer, while leaping and twirling across a beach in sweltering heat. Despite its top-tier talent (Will Ferrell also served as a producer and Andy Garcia turns up in an uncredited cameo), Barb & Star remains the bridesmaid to Bridesmaids, having never quite attracted the attention Wiig and Mumolo had hoped, largely due to being denied a cinematic release during the pandemic. “It was bittersweet,” Wiig told Letterboxd of the film gaining a cult following after being released with little fanfare via streaming in 2021. “We were happy it came out, but when it got released into the world, we didn’t really know what happened to it,” she said. “To know that people enjoyed it, that’s what the definition of success is for me. On paper, maybe it wasn’t a ‘success’, but for me, it’s one of my biggest things that I’m most proud of.” The women noted that shooting the film on location in Mexico created a school camp atmosphere, despite the cash-strapped and time-poor nature of their production. “There were so many challenges every day on so many levels,” Mumolo told Letterboxd. “We were fighting heat stroke.
But when you’re under the harshest circumstances, that’s when you really bond the most.” Perhaps that’s why Wiig says Star, the mild-mannered, middle-aged Middle American, holds a special place in her heart. “The fact that we got to make this movie gives me faith in the process,” she said. “It’s my favourite character I’ve ever played.” Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar is streaming on Tubi.