Do you hear that? It's the sound of thousands of rom-com lovers flocking to see Beach Read the day it comes out—but right now, this is what we know so far about the adaptation.
Regarding upcoming book-to-screen adaptations, there are plenty I could point to that we, as readers, are incredibly excited about. We could discuss the new A Court of Thorns and Roses TV series and how we're still waiting. Or, we could talk about the latest hit, Fourth Wing, and its new series since the third book will be released in 2025. But today, we'll talk about Beach Read by Emily Henry and how it is being made into a movie.
But what is Beach Read even about? Who might star in the adaptation? What can we expect? While details are scarce, this is what we know about the upcoming adaptation.
What Is The Beach Read Release Date?
At the time of writing this, April 2024, there is no set release date for Beach Read. It's not that surprising, as the news was only confirmed by Deadline in April 2023, and these things move slowly in the first pre-production stages.
That being said, it's good that 2024 is not the set release for Beach Read. So many new movies are released during this time, from the upcoming and anticipated release of Deadpool & Wolverine to the next Pixar film, Inside Out 2. A new movie based on the book, The Idea of You, will also be released on Amazon Prime in May as part of the 2024 movie schedule, so we're set for 2024.
However, if Beach Read ended up on the 2025 movie schedule, I would be down to see it—whether in theaters or on my TV screen at home.
Who Will Play January and Augustus?
For those who don't know—and even for those who do—Augustus and January are the names of the main characters of Beach Read.
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As of this writing, no one has been cast in the upcoming adaptation. But that has not stopped the rumor mill from sprouting up new theories, specifically for two actors – Ayo Edebiri, most known for her role in The Bear cast, and Paul Mescal, the star of movies such as All Of Us Are Strangers, Aftersun, the upcoming Gladiator 2 and more.
There are a few things connected to this theory. First, Edebiri posted a cute picture of them on a now viral St. Patrick's Day post, and while it's adorable and all, there are signs that point to them possibly being the stars of the new film.
According to Variety, Emily Henry, the author, reposted the picture to her Instagram. While at first, that doesn't seem suspicious, it's an even more significant point to say that Yulin Kuang, the upcoming director of Beach Read, also reposted the picture. Not long after, Emily Henry shared a shot of the first page of Kuang's new script for Beach Read.
The connections are connecting. Again, nothing is confirmed, but we can't help but wonder that this could be the casting we are waiting for. The actors havet yet to confirm or deny their involvement in the film, so this could end up becoming the best rom-com we've ever seen if Mescal and Edebiri were the ones to star, but we'll have to wait and see when any confirmed casting news is announced.
Beach Read Is About Two Authors Who Decide To Swap Genres For The Summer
As said above, Beach Read is based on the novel by famous writer Emily Henry. The Deadline article confirmed this.
The novel follows two writers who are away during the summer and wind up becoming neighbors; both of them are stuck in this writer's block, and have gone through experiences that have caused them to dry up in terms of creating their next new novel.
Despite being rivals, the two decide to swap their genres for the summer in order to get the creative juices flowing, but that's not the only thing that begins to happen during their time, as feelings slowly begin to form. Cue the romance.
Beach Read Is An Adaptation Of The Novel Of The Same Name
At about 400 pages, Emily Henry's Beach Read was published in 2020 and currently sits at just over 4 stars on GoodReads. That's an impressive score, especially when noting the fact that it's based on more than a million ratings.
Emily Henry has written several other popular romantic comedy books, including Book Lovers, People We Meet on Vacation, and more. She's become a hugely popular author on TikTok and has continued to grow her fanbase over the last few years.
Beach Read became a New York Times bestseller, earning plenty of other reading awards within the romantic comedy vertical. It was only a matter of time before it was adapted – and most likely becoming the next best rom-com movie.
Yulin Kuang Will Direct And Write The Adaptation
Also mentioned above, Yulin Kuang is the director attached to bring Beach Read to the screen. She has also written the adaptation.
Kuang is an Emmy-nominated writer and director who has worked on TV shows such as Hulu's Dollface, I Ship It, and more. Kuang is also an established writer where; according to Deadline above, she established a "three-book, seven-figure deal" at Avon for her debut novel, so you know this movie is about to be good.
Emily Henry Has Two Other Adaptations In The Works
Since details are pretty scarce for Beach Read, something else we know will get you excited – two other Henry books are also in the works to become movies. These include People We Meet on Vacation and Book Lovers.
Deadline confirmed People We Meet on Vacation in 2022, with Brett Haley attached to direct and Kuang writing the adaptation. Variety later confirmed the adaptation for Book Lovers in March 2023.
All three of these novels are currently in the pre-production process, according to Henry's website. Even if we don't know that much about them yet, you can be rest assured that we'll update this article as we find out new news.
What are you excited about when it comes to Beach Read? All I know is that I'm about to re-read this novel during my summer vacation this year to prepare for it. I can't wait.
