Benedict and Sophie finally got their happily ever after in the Bridgerton season 4 finale.
Their Cinderella-like love story was the focal point of the Regency drama’s latest entry. While the couple’s chapter has concluded, a new sibling is waiting in the wings to take over the reins.
With Netflix already renewing the series for a fifth and sixth season, it is only a matter of time before another tale of romance unfolds.
Highlights
- The Bridgerton season 4 finale dropped some major clues about which sibling will serve as the next installment’s protagonist.
- Showrunner Jess Brownell teased that characters with the initials “E” and “F” will lead the next two seasons.
- The finale’s closing scene may have provided the biggest hint about next season’s main character.
The burning question among fans now is: which Bridgerton sibling will be the central character in the next installment?
Spoilers ahead!
Bridgerton showrunner reveals lead contenders for season 5
Image credits: Netflix
The fourth season ended with Benedict and Sophie finally uniting despite social restrictions and class differences. But the ending turned bittersweet because of John Stirling’s sudden demise.
The shocking twist left his wife, Francesca, heartbroken, suggesting the fifth season might finally give her center stage. During a chat with Deadline, showrunner Jess Brownell confirmed that plans for the next chapter weren’t as straightforward.
At a promotional event, Brownell was spotted with a handkerchief embroidered with the letters E and F. She teased that characters with those initials would be the leads of the upcoming seasons.
Image credits: Kate Green/Getty Images
Her comments indicate that fans will see more of Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Francesca (Hannah Dodd) in the future.
Considering that the other two siblings, Gregory and Hyacinth, are too young for romance, their elder sisters are the only logical option.
However, Brownell refused to confirm whose story would unfold first.
“In what order? I can't say," she teased.
The season 4 finale strongly set up Francesca’s queer romance
Image credits: Netflix
Given the ending of season 4, Francesca is the more likely candidate to lead the fifth season. Her grief over her husband’s untimely passing and desire to start a family make for some fresh storytelling ground.
In the book When He Was Wicked, which focuses on Francesca, she remarries John’s cousin, Michael Stirling. However, the Netflix adaptation has gender-swapped the character, with Masali Baduza portraying the role.
Brownell revealed to the LA Times that it was always her intention to tell a queer story with the two characters. This would allow the series to explore a different perspective on love and romance within its Regency-era setting.
Bridgerton might surprise viewers by focusing on Eloise’s story first
Image credits: Netflix
Despite season 4’s ending being a strong hint that Francesca’s tale is next, the makers could surprise viewers by telling her elder sister’s story first.
Interestingly, Eloise is the fifth Bridgerton sibling. She is also the lead character of the fifth entry in Julia Quinn’s book series, on which the period drama is based. Therefore, her story being the focus of the fifth season would make sense.
The novel To Sir Phillip, With Love follows Eloise’s romance with the titular baronet. The series has not only introduced Chris Fulton as Philip but also already explored the passing of his wife, Marina, in the second season.
Image credits: Netflix
A scene in the fourth season depicts Eloise discussing becoming a “proponent of marriage” with Hyacinth. The conversation between the Bridgerton sisters at Benedict and Sophie’s wedding also teased the idea of Eloise tying the knot next.
“Oh, I do love a wedding. All the best people in the same place,” she says before adding that she would only be an “attendee.” However, the dialogue is vague enough to serve as foreshadowing for the upcoming season.
Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.