The first installment, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' was a romantic comedy released in 2002 under the direction of Joel Zwick and penned by Nia Vardalos. Nia also starred in the films as Fotoula 'Toula' Portokalos as the main heroine.
It was highly successful at the box office, and critics' reviews, and even walked away with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
It was the highest-earning romantic comedy in ticket sales, hitting USD 241 million in North America alone. It held that distinction for 14 years until the animated movie 'Sing' hit USD 268 million in ticket sales in 2016.