by Thinus Ferreira
Netflix has commissioned a sequel film entitled Happiness Ever After to the South African 2016-film, Happiness is a Four-Letter Word that will tell a "re-imagined" romantic story set 5 years after the first film.
Happiness is a Four-letter Word is made its debut in 2016, directed by Thabang Moleya and written by Busisiwe Ntintili and based on the novel of the same name by Nozizwe Cynthia Jele, of 3 friends trying to find their happiness while maintaining images of success and acceptability in South Africa.
Thabang Moleya will once again lens the follow-up with Ayanda Halimana as the screenwriter of the film that will premiere on Netflix later in 2021. Production on Happiness Ever After will take place in Johannesburg.
According to Netflix, Happiness Ever After will serve as a sequel and will "encapsulate the "heart of the first film, by tying back to the important threats such as sisterhood and friendship. However, the story has been re-imagined with the inclusion of a new romantic arc as well that viewers can look forward to".
Bongiwe Selane from Happiness is a Four-Letter Word is attached as producer.
"The sequel lives independently from the book but obviously with some of the old characters returning to bring more drama and more sizzle in the sequel," says Khanyi Mbau".
Renate Stuurman says "We wanted to take audiences somewhere new. The story picks up 5 years later from where we left our characters and it is on all of us - the cast, the producers and the crew - to take out audiences somewhere new".
