For those who don't know, Emily Henry is a romance author who has written some of the most popular books right now, and of course, People We Meet on Vacation has joined that long list of upcoming book-to-screen adaptations.
But what is this movie going to be about? This is what we know.
What Is The People We Meet On Vacation Release Date?
As of September 2024, there is no set release date for People We Meet on Vacation, which isn't that surprising as the two leading cast members were only just announced (as we'll get into below).
The film was confirmed to be happening way back in October 2022 on Henry's Instagram page, but only just now is it moving forward at Netflix with two of the main stars – so don't expect it to be on any 2024 movie schedule.
Honestly, it's not the end of the world. There are still so many films releasing this year, both on the regular movie schedule and for the upcoming Netflix shows and movies schedule, so I think we'll be plenty entertained. With that being said, we might be able to get the film next year—which would be a blessing.
The People We Meet On Vacation Cast
While casting for People We Meet on Vacation wasn't confirmed for a bit, Tudum announced that we know precisely who will play our main characters, and a few of the side characters as well:
Emily Bader as Poppy
Emily Bader will star as Poppy in People We Meet on Vacation, the main character we follow throughout the story. Bader has recently gained a lot of popularity thanks to her starring role in the Amazon Prime series My Lady Jane. She has also starred in two other films—one of the Paranormal Activity movies, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, and Fresh Kills.
Aside from that, she's guest-starred on several shows like Henry Danger, Game Shakers, and Charmed.
Tom Blyth as Alex
Tom Blyth will be playing Alex, the other half of People We Meet on Vacation. If that name sounds familiar to anyone who's been following the movie scene for the last two years, Blyth was the star of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cast, where he played a young Coriolanus Snow.
Aside from that, Blyth has also appeared in films such as Benediction, Scott and Sid and several short films. The actor had a lead role in the MGM+ series Billy the Kid and guest starred in The Gilded Age on HBO.
Honestly, seeing these two as the stars is excellent, and Netflix even released a cute video of the two of them reacting to the news on Twitter:
Watch Emily Bader find out she's starring opposite Tom Blyth in People We Meet on Vacation — the feature adaptation of Emily Henry’s best-selling novel directed by Brett Haley. pic.twitter.com/XY90QJI36BAugust 2, 2024
The author even shared her thoughts about the two of them in that Tudum article, saying that she kept going back to their chemistry read time and time again and that her emotions were different each time:
I watched their chemistry read four times in 12 hours, and I loved it more every single time. The very first time I was laughing out loud, and I got so emotional by the end.
Well, now I'm even more excited.
Additional The People We Meet On Vacation Casting
Thankfully, in September 2024, the same Tudum article above also confirmed several new additions to the cast. These include:
- Sarah Catherine Hook
- Jameela Jamil
- Lucien Laviscount
- Lukas Cage
- Miles Heizer
- Tommy Do
- Alice Lee
- Alan Ruck
- Molly Shannon
This just makes me more excited seeing this ensemble slowly coming together.
What Is People We Meet On Vacation About?
The adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation is based on the book of the same name by Emily Henry. Released in 2021, it was a New York Times bestseller and, according to Tudum, has sold more than two million copies. It is the most successful of Henry's novels – which is saying a lot since several of her books are getting adaptations.
The book follows the story of Alex and Poppy, two people who became “unlikely friends” when they spent every summer vacation together, despite having different personalities and living in different cities. However, as they get older, things start to happen on specific trips that cause their friendship to change. Two years after they've stopped speaking, they decide to go on one last trip together – and everything escalates from there.
With this premise from the book in mind, it sets up an excellent story for a fantastic rom-com adaptation. Will this be joining our list of the best rom-coms ever? Only time will tell.
People We Meet On Vacation Is Directed By Brett Haley
As confirmed by Tudum (but announced with the movie back in 2022), Brett Haley will direct People We Meet on Vacation. The director is known for movies such as Hearts Beat Loud (which is one of Nick Offerman's best films, by the way, if you haven't seen it), All The Bright Places, All Together Now, The Hero, and more.
The fact that he's taking on People We Meet on Vacation makes me even more excited for the adaptation to come.
There Are Several Other Emily Henry Books Getting Adaptations
As mentioned above, there are several other Henry novels in the works. One is the upcoming Beach Read, as well as Book Lovers, and one of her latest novels, Funny Story.
Additionally, it's been confirmed that there will be a Happy Place TV series on Netflix, according to Deadline, so you'll be getting four movies and a whole TV show.
Yes, this is Emily Henry domination and I'm not complaining.
What are you excited about the most when it comes to People We Meet on Vacation? All I know is that I'm ready to sit down on my couch and probably laugh/cry my heart out as I watch it. Bring on the rom-com tears.
