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LOS ANGELES: Fans of the popular romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days have reason to celebrate as a sequel to the 2003 film is officially moving forward, more than two decades after the original became a rom-com favourite. The upcoming project is being developed by Paramount Pictures, with actress Kate Hudson, who played the lead character in the original movie, attached as a producer. Details about the sequel are currently being kept under wraps. The storyline has not been revealed, and no official cast announcement has been made so far. However, there is growing speculation that Hudson and Matthew McConaughey could return to their famous roles as Andie Anderson and Benjamin Berry. Neither actor has officially confirmed a return at this stage. The original film centred on Andie Anderson, a journalist working for Composure magazine. She takes on an unusual assignment to write an article explaining how a woman could make a man end a relationship within 10 days. Her target is Benjamin Berry, an advertising executive who becomes involved with her without knowing the real reason behind her behaviour. Benjamin, meanwhile, has his own secret challenge. He makes a bet that he can make Andie fall in love with him within the same period. Their competing plans lead to a series of misunderstandings, romantic moments and comedic situations. The film eventually turns into a genuine love story despite both characters initially having hidden motives. McConaughey’s casting was reportedly not straightforward. Hudson previously revealed that the studio did not initially consider him the obvious choice for the male lead. She said she pushed for McConaughey because she believed the two actors had the right chemistry for the film. Hudson later explained that she wanted to work with him because they had a competitive energy and could challenge each other on screen. She credited his commitment and focused approach to acting as important factors behind their successful pairing. Her decision proved successful. The chemistry between Hudson and McConaughey became one of the film’s biggest attractions and helped turn the movie into one of the better-known romantic comedies of the early 2000s. McConaughey has also spoken positively about the film years after its release. He has described it as one of his favourite romantic comedies and said its popularity has continued to benefit him financially. The actor previously joked that the movie remains his biggest source of so-called “mailbox money”, referring to the continuing income he receives from its popularity and repeated screenings. Directed by Donald Petrie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days was a commercial success when it reached cinemas in 2003. The film was made on a reported budget of around $50 million and earned nearly $180 million worldwide. Over the years, the movie has developed a strong following and become a staple of the romantic-comedy genre. The announcement of a sequel has therefore generated considerable interest among fans who have long wanted to see what happened to Andie and Benjamin after the events of the original film. For now, Paramount has not disclosed the sequel’s release date, storyline or confirmed cast. Any return by Hudson and McConaughey will depend on official confirmation from the studio and the actors