For almost three decades, Waiting to Exhale has remained an iconic touchstone of Black womanhood, sisterhood, and the complexities of love. Naturally, rumors of Waiting to Exhale 2 have sparked waves of hope among fans who long to see the four women—Savannah, Bernadine, Robin, and Gloria—return to the screen. Yet the story behind this elusive sequel is more dramatic than any fictional plotline.

The roots of a follow-up trace back to author Terry McMillan herself. After the groundbreaking success of the 1995 film, she wrote Getting to Happy, a novel that revisited the characters years later, exploring their lives as mature women grappling with heartbreak, reinvention, and emotional survival. This novel was, for a moment, the planned blueprint for a direct cinematic sequel. Screenwriters were hired, drafts were written, and studios expressed interest.

But Hollywood’s plans shifted drastically after the tragic passing of Whitney Houston, whose performance as Savannah was one of the emotional anchors of the first film. McMillan later explained that the original sequel idea simply could not work without Houston’s presence. A rewrite was attempted, but the project could not find a tone that honored the original while building something new.

In the years following, interest in a revival stayed alive, largely because Waiting to Exhale remains deeply relevant: its themes of self-worth, emotional resilience, and women reclaiming their lives are timeless. As conversations surrounding representation in Hollywood grew louder, the story seemed more necessary than ever.

This led to a second chapter in the sequel’s journey—a reimagining as a television series, led by producer Lee Daniels and developed at ABC. Instead of revisiting the four original women, the concept focused on their daughters, continuing the generational themes McMillan explored in her novels. The project promised a contemporary take on dating, identity, and adulthood through a new lens.

Yet even this reboot remains in limbo. With changing streaming landscapes and shifting studio priorities, Waiting to Exhale 2—or any version of it—sits in a development stage with no production greenlight in sight.

Still, the appetite for the story hasn’t faded. If anything, its absence underscores how groundbreaking the original was. Hollywood’s hesitation isn’t due to lack of demand, but the high pressure of honoring a classic. A sequel may or may not ever materialize, but Waiting to Exhale continues to breathe life into modern discussions about love, liberation, and the power of female friendship.