Romance Books Getting Movie and TV Adaptations in 2026

From Colleen Hoover to Emily Henry, these romance novels are officially confirmed for screen adaptations in 2026. Here's what's out now and what's still coming.

8/21/20262 min read

A person holding a pair of scissors in their hand
A person holding a pair of scissors in their hand

Romance Books Getting Movie and TV Adaptations in 2026

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2026 has turned into one of the biggest years yet for romance book-to-screen adaptations, with streaming platforms leaning harder than ever into BookTok's favorite titles. Industry analysis found that 40% of first-run romance commissions in the first half of 2026 alone were book adaptations. Here's what's confirmed, already out, or still ahead. If you're looking for the fantasy-romance side of this trend, check our fantasy and romantasy adaptations roundup and our Love Hypothesis review for the Ali Hazelwood adaptation specifically.

Already Released: People We Meet on Vacation

Emily Henry's beloved friends-to-lovers novel hit Netflix on January 9, 2026, starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth as Poppy and Alex. This marks the first Emily Henry adaptation to make it to screen, with a supporting cast including Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Molly Shannon, and Lukas Gage.

Coming October 2: Verity

Colleen Hoover's psychological thriller-romance gets the big-screen treatment with a genuinely stacked cast — Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. The story follows a ghostwriter finishing another author's manuscript who uncovers disturbing secrets along the way. Given the controversy that surrounded Hoover's previous adaptation, this one is already generating discourse before release.

Coming September 23: The Love Hypothesis

Ali Hazelwood's fake-dating STEM romance heads to Prime Video, starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman. If you haven't read it yet, check our full review before the film drops.

Confirmed But No Date Yet: Beach Read and Book Lovers

Emily Henry is having a real moment — beyond People We Meet on Vacation, both Beach Read and Book Lovers have been optioned for adaptation, though release dates for either haven't been confirmed yet.

Wuthering Heights Gets the Emerald Fennell Treatment

Not a contemporary romance, but worth knowing about: Emily Brontë's classic gets a bold, buzzy reimagining directed by Emerald Fennell, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Early buzz suggests this adaptation takes real creative liberties with the source material.

Off Campus Heads to Prime Video

Elle Kennedy's sports romance is getting a TV adaptation, riding the wave of sports romance's strong run in recent adaptation trends.

Heartstopper's Final Chapter

Alice Oseman's beloved graphic novel series is closing out with a feature-length film adapting the series' final installment, giving Nick and Charlie's story its last chapter on screen.

Guarding Stars

Based on the bestselling 2022 romance novel, this Netflix adaptation stars Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki in a story about a no-nonsense bodyguard assigned to protect an A-list celebrity over the holidays.

Why So Many Romance Adaptations Right Now

Streaming platforms have clearly noticed what BookTok already knew — romance commissions are increasingly scripted and increasingly based on existing books rather than original screenplays, and the genre has held steady even as action and adventure commissions dipped earlier in the year. If you loved a romance novel in the last few years, there's a real chance it's either already been optioned or will be soon.

Final Thoughts

Between Colleen Hoover, Emily Henry, and Ali Hazelwood all getting major adaptations this year, 2026 is shaping up to be the year romance readers finally get to see their most-recommended books on screen. Reading the source material first remains the best way to avoid spoilers and get the fuller version of the story before Hollywood's interpretation takes over the cultural conversation.