How My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 handles the absence of late actor Michael Constantine

Get the bundt cake pan ready!

During a presentation at CinemaCon on Wednesday, Focus Features presented more details on the upcoming My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. That included some brief footage explaining how the story deals with the absence of Toula's father Gus, who was played by the late actor Michael Constantine in the first two movies.

The film, which was shot on location in Greece, will focus on the family fulfilling the last wish of patriarch Gus Portokalos, who wanted them to visit his village in the Mediterranean country.

Constantine played Gus in the first two movies before he died in 2021, but the actor gave writer-star Nia Vardalos his support for a third film even before he passed. "He had told me he wouldn't be able to join us for the third film and his wish was that we go on," Vardalos had previously shared on Instagram. "I wrote the screenplay to reflect Michael's decision and will always treasure his last messages to me, hoping we were filming soon."

The footage also showcased Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin) up to her usual antics, making sure everyone is well fed, and cracking another joke at Ian's vegetarianism.

Focus Features The cast of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3'

The film marks the third entry in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding saga after the 2002 original, written by and starring then-unknown Vardalos, became a sleeper hit. Vardalos, who had originally penned the story as a one-woman show, broke out as an actress and creator following the film's success, eventually launching a sequel, 2016's My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.

The first film followed Vardalos' Toula Portokalos, a young Greek woman who, despite her family's reservations, begins a relationship with a non-Greek man, Ian, (John Corbett) sparking a culture clash from which hilarity ensues. The second film centered on the experiences of Toula and Ian's children.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 will feature many fan favorites from the original films, including Corbett, Louis Mandylor, Elena Kampouris, Maria Vacratsis, Elias Kavacas, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, and Melina Kotselou.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who discovered Vardalos, are returning to produce for a third time, with Focus Features releasing.

"It's thrilling to have Nia Vardalos, Academy Award nominated writer," said Wilson. "Not only in front of the camera as our star, but also behind the camera as our director, guiding our beloved cast for this third film shot on location in Greece. My Big Fat Greek Wedding has brought audiences joy for twenty-one years. I'm so happy that more joy is on the way."

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is coming to theaters on Sep. 8.

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