Prime Highlights
- Amazon MGM’s movie adaptation of bestseller romance novel The Love Hypothesis features Tom Bateman and Lili Reinhart.
- Directed by Claire Scanlon, the movie takes alive on screen a bestseller academic romance.
Key Facts
- Adapted from Ali Hazelwood bestseller novel that began as fan fiction for Star Wars.
- Executive producer also Reinhart, and writer Ali Hazelwood.
Key Background
The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood’s first romance novel, is in development as a feature film with Amazon MGM, with Tom Bateman and Lili Reinhart starring. The novel, originally a fan-fiction reimagining of Star Wars heroes Rey and Kylo Ren, was a standalone bestseller that captured the hearts of fans from around the globe. It follows Olive Smith, a Stanford PhD student, as she embarks on a fake relationship with gruff professor Dr. Adam Carlsen for the sake of a bet with her best friend and finds herself caught up in real feelings along the way. Tom Bateman of Murder on the Orient Express and Behind Her Eyes fame will also play Dr. Adam Carlsen, the stern but secretly affectionate professor.
What is ironic is that Bateman is actually married to Daisy Ridley, the actress who portrayed the character of Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy—the same inspiration for Hazelwood’s original novel. This casting comes with a peculiar twist to the beginnings of this film, with Bateman playing a character who was originally inspired by Ridley’s fictional double. Lili Reinhart, the most iconic Riverdale alum, has also made some physical transformations for playing Olive, reporting to set with brunette hair and wearing a lab coat, getting into the brains-over-brawn mode of the environment. She is also joining as executive producer, continuing to show her commitment to bringing this fan favorite tale to the screen.
Set It Up director Claire Scanlon will direct the film. The script has been penned by Sarah Rothschild, and Elizabeth Cantillon is producing the film for MRC and Amazon MGM Studios. Ali Hazelwood, the writer, and Catherine Hagedorn will be executive producers.
The movie has already created enormous buzz amongst rom-com and romance fans. Although the release date is yet to be announced, it is already a highly anticipated book-to-movie adaptation with a mix of fake romance, STEM education, and emotional chemistry.