My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a franchise that consists of two films, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, and a TV series, My Big Fat Greek Life. The two films grossed $457.1 million worldwide against a $23 million budget. The first film received positive reviews from critics, while the second film received mostly negative reviews.
Films
''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' (2002)
Everyone in the Portokalos family worries about Toula. Still unmarried at 30 years old, she works at Dancing Zorba's, the Greek restaurant owned by her parents, Gus and Maria. After taking a job at her aunt's travel agency, she falls in love with Ian Miller, a teacher who is tall, handsome, and definitely not Greek. Toula isn't sure which will be more upsetting to her father, that Ian is a foreigner or that he's a vegetarian. The film was a sleeper hit, and the film became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time. The film grossed $241 million domestically for a worldwide total of $368 million, despite not reaching No. 1 at the box office, against a $5 million budget. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay at the 75th Academy Awards.
''My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'' (2016)
Ten years after the first film, parenting and marriage is becoming tougher and tougher for Toula and her husband Ian. Not only has their relationship lost some of its spark, but they're also dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter who clashes with Greek traditions. On top of that, Toula must contend with aging parents and the endless need of cousins and friends. But when a shocking family secret comes to light, the entire Portokalos clan makes plans to come together for an even bigger wedding than before. The film was less successful than the original, grossing $59 million domestically, with a $88 million worldwide gross, against an $18 million budget.
Future
''My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3'' (TBA)
In late June 2016, Vardalos hinted at the possibility of a third film, saying that although no writing has been done, she does have an idea.
Other media
''My Big Fat Greek Life'' (2003)
The film series inspired the brief 2003 TV series My Big Fat Greek Life, with most of the major characters played by the same actors, with the exception of Steven Eckholdt replacing Corbett as the husband. Corbett had already signed on to the TV series Lucky. He was scheduled to appear as the best friend of his replacement's character, but the show was cancelled before he appeared. The show received poor reviews from critics noting the random character entrances and serious plot "adjustments" that did not match the film. The seven episodes from the series are available on DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, whose TV studio division produced the show.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating 76% based on 129 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Though it sometimes feels like a television sitcom, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is good-hearted, lovable, and delightfully eccentric, with a sharp script and lead performance from Nia Vardalos." On Metacritic, which assigns a rating based on reviews, the film has an average score of 62 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 28% based on 163 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is as sweet and harmless as the original, but its collection of sitcom gags and stereotypes never coalesces into anything resembling a story with a purpose." Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 37 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Polled by CinemaScore, audiences gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.
