Emily Henry’s books rank among my favorite romance books and are perhaps some of the most popular recent releases (and they actually deserve the hype!). All of her five novels are now set to become adaptations, which might sound a bit overwhelming. But fear not, dear reader: this article has all the details you need to tackle the Emily Henry Cinematic Universe!
Beach Read
Retrieved from Goodreads.
In April 2023, Yulin Kuang was announced as the writer and director for a feature film adaptation of Emily Henry’s Beach Read. The film is being produced by 20th Century Studios in collaboration with Original Film. By March 2023, a first draft of the script had already been completed (a fantastic one, according to Henry).
While no cast or release date has been announced, there has been some speculation after Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri shared a selfie together on St. Patrick’s Day 2024 (which Henry reposted!), but nothing has been confirmed—or denied.
Retrieved from Twitter.
The novel follows January Andrews and Augustus Everett, two authors who write in polar opposite genres; January is a romance writer, while Augustus writes literary fiction. As neighbors, they strike a deal to help get each other out of their creative ruts: “Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel.” As the summer goes on, during the time they spend together, they discover much more than just their creativity and inspiration.
People We Meet On Vacation
Retrieved from Goodreads.
In October 2022, People We Meet On Vacation became the first Emily Henry novel to be officially greenlit for adaptation. It will be directed by Brett Haley, screenwritten by Yulin Kuang, and produced by Temple Hill with the studio 3000 Pictures.
Tom Blyth (from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) stars as Alex Nilsen, alongside Emily Bader (from My Lady Jane) as Poppy Wright. Filming officially began in New Orleans in October 2024, according to pictures and videos that have been posted on social media.
Retrieved from Twitter.
The novel follows Alex, a high school teacher, and Poppy, a travel blogger, who have been best friends since meeting during their college’s orientation. And who, despite being polar opposites, have been inseparable ever since. Every year, they’d take a one-week vacation during the summer, documenting it for Poppy’s blog, until a disastrous trip to Croatia, where everything changed. Years later, even after achieving everything she’d ever wanted, Poppy feels stuck, and she misses her best friend. So, she devises a Hail Mary: one last vacation to fix everything. What could possibly go wrong?
Book Lovers
Retrieved from Goodreads.
Book Lovers will be adapted into a feature film by Sarah Heyward and it will be produced by Tango. However, a director has not yet been attached to the film, so there are no news regarding the cast or release date.
This novel’s protagonists are Nora Stephens, a cutthroat literary agent, and Charlie Lastra, a brooding book editor. When Nora’s younger sister Libby convinces her to vacation in the picturesque small town of Sunshine Falls, fate repeatedly brings her into Charlie’s orbit. Their deliciously witty banter gives way to Nora and Charlie discovering a deeper connection, which forces both characters to unravel the narratives they’d initially crafted for themselves.
Happy Place
Retrieved from Goodreads.
Back in June 2024, Netflix optioned Happy Place for Jennifer López’s Nuyorican Productions. The adaptation will take the form of a series, with producers and streaming executives currently in the process of meeting with writers. Development is still in its early stages, as the novel was published almost two years ago, in April 2023.
Happy Place tells the story of Harriet Kilpatrick and Wyn Connor, who appeared to be the perfect couple, until they secretly ended their engagement. When their close-knit friend group gathers for their yearly getaway, Harriet and Wyn agree to pretend to still be together to avoid ruining the trip for everyone. However, being forced into close proximity after not speaking for six months is bound to reignite old feelings; though in the end, their biggest challenge isn’t pretending to be in love, but rather pretending they’re not.
Funny Story
Retrieved from Goodreads.
Emily Henry’s most recent release, Funny Story, is the most elusive in detail regarding its adaptation. However, Emily Henry herself is set to adapt the novel for the big screen, as she will be writing the script. It will be produced by Lyrical Media and Ryder Picture Company, but a director hasn’t been attached to the project yet.
The novel follows Daphne Vincent, who, after being left by her fiancé for his best friend, finds herself moving in with Miles Nowak, her now-ex-fiancé’s best friend’s ex-boyfriend. Complicated? I’d say so. To make matters worse, they soon receive an invitation to Daphne’s ex-fiancé and Miles’s ex-girlfriend’s wedding. So, after being heartbroken, they embark on a fake relationship, in order to save face with their exes and prove they’re doing great. If only it were true… right? Well, along the way, they begin to realize it actually might be.
Retrieved from Pinterest.
Whether you’re a longtime follower of Emily Henry or new to her work, there’s a lot to look forward to! If you haven’t checked out one of her novels yet, I hope this article will inspire you to pick one of them up. Trust me, they’re truly worth the read. So with this, dear reader, I ask you to give them a chance… and get excited! Because I know I am!