Preproduction work for the period movie “Elena 1944,” where Kathryn Bernardo is expected to play a comfort woman during Japanese occupation, is taking longer than expected. As a result, the actress has been offered to do a sequel to her hit movie with Alden Richards, “Hello, Love, Goodbye” (HLG), instead.
The sequel, titled “Hello, Love, Again” (HLA), will not be submitted as an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival in December but will be shown on Nov. 13. Directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana, the film is a collaboration between ABS-CBN Films and GMA Pictures.
Star Cinema head Kriz Gazmen reported that GMA Network’s Annette Gozon-Valdez has long been pushing for the sequel to HLG. Alden Richards, Kathryn’s leading man, is one of the top talents of the Kapuso network.
Kriz Gazmen explained that the decision to release HLA outside of the MMFF was to make the movie more accessible to its target audience, especially Filipinos living abroad. He also mentioned the need for more time to prepare for the movie “Elena 1944.”
The creative team, led by writers Carmi Raymundo and Crystal Hazel San Miguel, described the sequel as “familiar but different,” acknowledging the changes in the world and the characters since the release of HLG. The story will explore whether the love between the two characters remains unchanged amid personal and global transformations.
Director Cathy Garcia-Sampana emphasized that the sequel will continue to focus on the experiences of Filipinos abroad, with the team conducting research and interviews in Canada and Hong Kong. The film aims to offer a fresh perspective on the journey of OFWs in different locations.
