Upcoming Romantic-Comedies To Keep On Your Radar
The romantic-comedy genre has suffered its share of indignities over the years, often the subject of jokes, parody, and eyerolls. It's even survived a few death hoaxes, with people claiming that rom-coms are dead and the time for big studio romances is in the past. But even though the hits keep coming, nothing stands a chance against the power of a well executed romantic-comedy. At their best these swoon-worthy stories are heartwarming and wholly satisfying. And at their worst, they're often disasterpieces, entertaining for all their many faults and clichés.
The persistent presence of the rom-com is most obvious about the holiday season, when the Hallmarks of the world (and even Netflix) lay out a whole slate of tropes for our viewing pleasure. But rom-coms aren't limited by season, nor are they limited to streaming: a bunch of exciting love stories are slated to arrive in the next few months, to big screens and streaming services both. We've gathered a list of some heavy hitters down below, filled with A-listers, lovable clichés, and fresh perspectives.
Marry Me — February 11, 2022
Based on the popular webcomic by Bobby Crosby, "Marry Me" tells the very relatable tale of an international popstar who spots a man in the crowd of her concert and decides to make him her husband. Immediately and live on stage. We've all lived this day, right? No matter, Jennifer Lopez will live it for us, because she stars as Kat Valdez, a music superstar with big plans to marry her Grammy-award winning boyfriend, Bastian (Maluma) before an audience of millions. But moments before the ceremony, Kat discovers that Bastian has been cheating with her assistant. She has no choice but to go onstage, where she's overwhelmed with emotion and impulse — so she picks a random man from the audience and marries him. Owen Wilson's Charlie Gilbert is the lucky guy, a divorced math teacher holding up a sign that says "Marry Me." And thus the chaotic whirlwind romance begins, a fake dating (or in their case, fake marriage) story for the ages.
The Lost City — March 25, 2022
"The Lost City" invites viewers to take a walk on the wild side — this romantic tale comes from the Nee brothers, the filmmakers behind 2006's "The Last Romantic." The adventure comedy follows a reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her Fabio-esque cover model, which already has all the trappings of another classic coworkers-to-lovers journey. But somewhere in the middle of their bonding, the pair are swept up in a kidnapping attempt that ends with them on a cutthroat jungle adventure, fighting for their lives. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum fill the main roles, joined by an ensemble that includes Brad Pitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Patti Harrison, and Oscar Nunez.
Shotgun Wedding — June 29, 2022
What would a list of upcoming romantic comedies be without a second entry from the queen, Ms. Jennifer Lopez? After her shotgun wedding to Owen Wilson in "Marry Me," JLo returns to theaters for another relationship in a movie that's literally titled "Shotgun Wedding." This time she plays Darcy, opposite Josh Duhamel's Tom and romance isn't the only thing in the cards for them — this film also promises plenty of action. The pair star as a couple trying to enjoy their destination wedding, but are distracted by doubts about the marriage and input from their opinionated family members. Is it too late to call off the wedding? Turns out the answer is a hard yes, when the entire wedding party is taken hostage. And so the engaged couple, cold feet and all, must work together to save their families.
Bros — August 12, 2022
Billy Eichner's "Bros" will be historic for a couple different reasons: as the first gay romantic-comedy from a major Hollywood studio, the film also makes Eichner the first openly gay man to write and star in his own major studio film. Additionally, the film is already being lauded for a historical LGBTQ+ cast, in which even the principal heterosexual roles are played by queer performers. The swoon-worthy storyline follows two men with commitment issues trying to make their relationship work. Eichner stars in the main role opposite Luke Macfarlane ("Brothers & Sisters"). "Bros" has already wrapped filming and is set for a big, summer release.
Ticket To Paradise — October 21, 2022
George Clooney and Julia Roberts will reunite in Ol Parker's ("Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again") upcoming romantic-comedy. The pair play a divorced couple who journey to Bali when their daughter recklessly decides to get hitched to a local she met days before — making this the third upcoming movie about a shotgun wedding. Hoping to stop their daughter from making the very mistake they made 25 years prior, they team up to disrupt the wedding plans. Kaitlyn Dever ("Booksmart," "Dear Evan Hansen") stars as their daughter, Lily, a recent graduate who heads to Bali with her best friend Wren (Billie Lourd). Coming from the director behind the feel-good "Mamma Mia" sequel, "Ticket To Paradise" has the potential to make great use of its setting — not to mention the many stars filling out the cast.
Fire Island — 2022
Joel Kim Booster is behind the script of "Fire Island," a romantic-comedy inspired by "Pride and Prejudice" but cleverly updated for a new generation. Remaking classic stories is what grants us gems like "Clueless" and "10 Things I Hate About You," so naturally "Fire Island" follows a similar vein of making a familiar story nearly unrecognizable in all the best ways. Forget 1800s courting practices, this film takes us to the legendary LGBTQ friendly Fire Island for a party, as two best friends embark on a weeklong vacation with cheap rosé and an eclectic group of friends. Booster stars in the film along with Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, Conrad Ricamora and more.