Once the After book series by author Anna Todd hit shelves, it became a global phenomenon leading to a film series. Starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Josephine Langford, the romance films first premiered in April 2019, and spawned three sequels, the final — After Ever Happy — which has yet to be released. The fan-favorite film series tells the love story between the fictional Hardin Scott (who is inspired by Harry Styles) and Tessa Young.
“There are so many layers that you slowly reveal to the audience. It’s obviously hard work and long hours and conflicting opinions, but the whole process of filming was fun,” Hero told W Magazine in April 2019 about playing his character. “We got so lucky in the cast and crew — I’m in touch with so many of them still today.”
While the second movie, After We Collided, premiered in October 2020 (amid the coronavirus pandemic), fans wondered what would happen with the final two films. Well, the cast traveled to Bulgaria and shot the final two installments back-to-back. The third, After We Fell, premiered in September 2021.
“It was really bittersweet because obviously, it was sad finishing it,” Josephine told TooFab in March 2021 about the After series coming to an end. “It doesn’t really feel like it’s over of it yet. I haven’t accepted it. I think that’s because the film just hasn’t come out, but yeah bittersweet.”
The Australian actress added, “It’s always funny finishing a movie because there’s never really this big last day with all the cast where it ends. It’s always like people are wrapping … [there’s a] three, four, five-week-long process when cast members are like dropping off. I feel like with these films it’s always me doing some random thing, like rolling out of the bed or sitting in a bathtub as the actual last thing in the last shot.”
While filming has come to an end for the OG cast, it was announced in April 2021 that the film franchise would be continuing with a prequel and sequel movie. According to Deadline‘s announcement, the prequel will feature a teenage version of Hardin Scott and showcase his upbringing before he appears as a college student in the first After movie. The sequel, on the other hand, will take place after all four After movies and tell the stories of Hardin and Tessa’s kids, Emery and Auden, along with their cousin, Addy.
Of course, with these major announcements, fans are dying to know if any OG After stars will be making a return. Scroll through our gallery to see what they’ve said so far.
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“I would want to come back if it was important, and it made sense,” Josephine told StyleCaster in September 2021. “I’m not a fan of overstaying your welcome. It can sometimes dampen a good thing if you’re creating something and it’s canon, and it doesn’t have a reason. I would be very, very, very happy to come back under the right circumstance and if it made sense.”
“I never say never, although I haven’t had any of those conversations yet,” Hero added in the same interview. “I genuinely can say, I’ve not been involved in any of those conversations. Having said that, it’s something that I would never say I’m never going to do. We’ll see!”
After Ever Happy will premiere in the U.S. on September 7 and will serve as a final installment of the series for Hardin and Tessa. On top of that, there are also two planned movies in the works for the series — a prequel following Hardin pre-Tessa, and one that will follow Hessa’s kids. So much to look forward to!!
“I’m so excited to finally share some massive news with you all,” Hero announced in an August 2022 video shared on the After movie social media accounts. “We have just wrapped filming on the fifth After movie. I can’t tell you too much about it just yet, but I can tell you that it will be called After Everything and I cannot wait for you all to see it.”
