From Star Wars fanfic to the big screen: Lili Reinhart says her new movie stays true to the book
Lili Reinhart says her next film sticks closely to The Love Hypothesis, the rom-com phenomenon that began as Star Wars fanfic, with the team zeroed in on what readers love. She also explains how this story convinced her to give the genre another shot after early doubts.
If you know anything about recent romance novels, you've probably heard someone mention The Love Hypothesis – that book which started its life as a bit of Star Wars fanfiction and then quietly became a full-blown paperback phenomenon. Well, now it's heading to the big screen, and Lili Reinhart is front and centre vowing they're not going to muck it up.
Lili Reinhart Swaps Skepticism for a Rom-Com Comeback
Interesting twist: Reinhart, who found herself typecast in certain onscreen love triangles, wasn't planning on jumping into romantic comedy territory again. Apparently, she hadn't even read Ali Hazelwood's original novel when the project first landed in her lap (cue the gasps from TikTok's #BookTok crowd). But after getting through the script, curiosity got the better of her and she dove into the book – next thing you know, she's sold. Typical, really.
Reinhart reckons part of what makes the original story work is its blend of friendship and awkward romance. The film follows Olive Smith, a PhD student, who impulsively kisses the scariest professor in the department, Adam Carlsen, to convince her best mate she's moved past an ex. You know the drill: fake relationship, mounting chaos, ends up with real feelings. But Reinhart insists it isn't just a love story – Olive's loyalty to her best friend is the emotional engine of the whole thing, which is a nice touch if you're weary of the standard 'enemies to lovers' formula.
Keeping Things Faithful: Not Just Lip Service
It's easy for Hollywood to pay a bit of lip service about 'protecting the source material', but it sounds like the filmmakers actually meant it this time. Reinhart made it clear:
'The heart of the book is in the film. We wanted to totally respect what readers loved. The characters and story had to stay properly intact.'
And she wasn't alone. Tom Bateman, who plays Adam, admits he came to the book via the script (not the reverse) but quickly 'fell in love with the characters and the world'. Adaptations are always a minefield because everyone and their nan has their own idea of what these people look and sound like. Bateman said the cast were almost superstitious about how often they'd dip back into the book, practically treating it as a sacred text on set. Actual quote: 'The book was around set all the time.' He and Reinhart even re-read passages before shooting.
What to Expect (And When)
- Premise: Olive Smith fakes a relationship with Professor Adam Carlsen after a spectacularly ill-advised public kiss. Much pretending, much realisation of feelings, the usual scientific community hijinks.
- Lili Reinhart: Playing Olive, pleasantly surprised to be back in rom-com world.
- Tom Bateman: Cast as Adam, equally obsessed with keeping the adaptation on track.
- Source Material: Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis, famously started out as a Star Wars fanfic (no lightsabers here, though – sorry).
- Release Date: Cinemas, 23 September 2026.
If you were worried they'd take a few too many liberties, fear not: from the sound of things, this one might actually resemble the book you raced through in a single weekend.