As romance lovers, we simply love love in all its forms—and if it comes packaged in a really good story, all the better! While some movie rom-coms can feel a little surface-level, the great thing about a book adaptation is that you can expect a certain amount of care and detail in its plot and character development.
Whether it’s a new adaptation of a period classic like Sense and Sensibility or a bonkers team-up between Nicholas Sparks and M Night Shyamalan (you read that right!), 2026 is set to bring us plenty of playful, emotional, and delightfully bizarre romances to set our hearts on fire throughout the year.
So, whether you’re a romantic at heart or are just looking for a great story to curl up with on a cosy evening, we’ve got you covered with this list of romance adaptations to look forward to in 2026.
1. People We Meet on Vacation (January 9, 2026)
If you love a good ‘opposites attract’ rom-com, People We Meet on Vacation will make for the perfect January watch. Based on Emily Henry’s 2021 novel, the story centres around best friends Poppy and Alex. Alex is cautious and introverted, while Poppy has an insatiable wanderlust and drive for novelty. Despite their differences, they’ve been best friends for a decade and have made it a ritual to meet up for a week-long holiday once a year. But when unacknowledged feelings between them finally surface, Poppy and Alex must figure out if they’re ready to leap into romance.
People We Meet on Vacation is one of the most hotly anticipated rom-coms of 2026, and Henry’s talent as a romance writer has already got Hollywood keen to adapt her other books as well—with Beach Read, Book Lovers, and Happy Place are all reportedly in development at various studios. So don’t miss out on the first of several exciting adaptations to come!
2. Bridgerton Season 4 (January 29, 2026)
Everyone’s favourite fantasy Regency romance series is returning for a fourth season at the end of January! Bridgerton is based on Julia Quinn’s delightful series, which consists of eight books, each—like each season of the series—focusing on one Bridgerton sibling and their love story.
Season 4 centres on middle child Benedict Bridgerton, who has so far remained on the sidelines as the bohemian bisexual brother with an artistic soul. Although Benedict’s book (An Offer from a Gentleman) is technically the third in the book series, the Netflix series’ creators chose to delay his story until the fourth season, switching it out for Colin and Penelope’s story in book four (Romancing Mister Bridgerton).
Like any good Bridgerton season, Benedict’s story is full of twists and turns—and perhaps a dose of salacious gossip from newly exposed Lady Whistledown is still to come. While there was much speculation about whether Benedict’s love interest would be gender swapped, it looks like we’re set to meet Sophie, as in the books, a mysterious maid who captures the eye of the second-oldest Bridgerton son.
3. Sense and Sensibility (September 25, 2026)
Queen of romance Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility is getting an exciting new update in 2026. This adaptation stars Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood, who, along with her mother (played by Outlander’s Caitríona Balfe) and sister Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), finds herself suddenly facing economic uncertainty after the death of the family patriarch, forcing them to move to a modest cottage in Devonshire. Both Elinor and Marianne learn to navigate their new circumstances while also sifting through suitors and their own romantic longings.
The last Sense and Sensibility adaptation was directed by Academy Award winner Ang Lee in 1995. The film featured an incredibly stacked cast, including Emma Thompson as Elinor, Kate Winslet as Marianne, and Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman as suitors Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon. The film was nominated for seven Oscars and 11 BAFTAs, and has been widely accepted as one of the best Austen adaptations of all time— so, no pressure at all on the new film’s director, Georgia Oakley!
4. Remain (October 23, 2026)
What do M Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks have in common? I thought nothing—until I read about Remain. The director (in)famous for his twist endings is teaming up with the man behind tearjerking romance novels like The Notebook and A Walk to Remember for a supernatural romantic thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor.
Gyllenhaal’s Tate Donovan is an architect who, after a stint in a psychiatric facility to treat acute depression in the aftermath of his sister’s death, goes to Cape Cod to reset and work on a new project. There, he meets Wren, who challenges his carefully controlled routines and beliefs. The book itself was written by Sparks with input from Shyamalan and was only released in 2025, so it’s more of an adaptation package. I honestly have no idea what to expect from this collaboration, but it might very well be the team-up we never knew we needed!
5. The Love Hypothesis (2026)
Who doesn’t love a sizzling secret academic romance? That’s the basic premise around Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 novel, The Love Hypothesis, which centres around third-year PhD candidate Olive Smith, who starts an experiment with her professor, Adam Carlsen, to test their opposing hypotheses about love and attraction—only to find there might be a less controllable chemistry between them than either had thought.
The adaptation stars Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart as Olivia, and Tom Bateman as Adam—so we already know the hotness quotient will be out of control. Even more intriguing, The Love Hypothesis originated as Star Wars fan fiction imagining Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley's Rey pairing off in the unlikeliest of romances. We can only hope it will be as steamy as romantic fan fic tends to be!
6. The Other Bennet Sister (2026)
I’m hoping this dark horse BBC series might be the one to scratch my Jane Austen itch—but with a fun modern update. The Other Bennet Sister is an adaptation of Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel, focusing on the distinctly overlooked Mary Bennet. The story starts in the aftermath of Pride and Prejudice, when Mary suddenly finds herself free of her sisters and on a path of discovery, self-acceptance, and love.
While she is often dismissed and depicted as ridiculously untalented and socially inept in Jane Austen’s novel, The Other Bennet Sister gives Mary her dues and sees her transform in her own way and at her own pace—and maybe even find true love. I’m hoping for some sort of cross between the ‘90s BBC Pride and Prejudice, Too Much, and Bridget Jones!
7. You Deserve Each Other (2026)
At some point in 2026, we are going to need a light-hearted rom-com, and I can only hope that that time coincides with the release of You Deserve Each Other. Adapted from Sarah Hogle’s 2021 novel, the plot follows an engaged couple, Nick and Naomi, who both get cold feet after falling out of love before the wedding and begin to act out in increasingly outrageous ways to get the other to end things. But in ramping up the stakes and finally being authentic with each other, they might just risk falling in love all over again.
You Deserve Each Other is, without a doubt, one of the most anticipated rom-coms of 2026 for the casting alone. If you’re still recovering from the sight of Penn Badgley covered in blood while playing a psycho stalker serial killer in You, his role as Nick might be just the antidote you need. He is joined by Meghann Fahy, who more than earned her stripes in a series of stellar performances in The White Lotus (Season 2), The Perfect Couple, and Sirens. I cannot wait to see these two pull out all the stops in this lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers extravaganza.
