Apart from Heated Rivalry (2025), which is adapted from Rachel Reid's incredible Game Changers series, romance adaptations were pretty scarce in 2025. We simply didn't get enough, and of the few rom-coms we did get, none of them scratched the very specific itch that only romance novels are best at achieving.
We didn't exactly get enough yearning, vulnerability, and memorable beats that make the story something worthy of rereading or rewatching over and over again. But thankfully, it feels like the coming year might fix this.
From the adaptation of Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation (2026) to the announcement of It Happened One Summer (2026), here are the romance adaptations we know are coming and why you'll love them when they release on platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and more.
People We Meet on Vacation (2026)
We have news that each of Emily Henry's books will be adapted in some capacity (like Happy Place will be a series), but first up is Poppy and Alex's friends-to-lovers story, and I personally can't remember the last time I was this jazzed for a romance adaptation. With legitimately perfect casting in Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, the beats we already have in the trailer and teasers have me on my knees from excitement.
In more ways than one, the book is Henry's love letter to When Harry Met Sally (1989), and if you've ever wanted a romance that wholly captures the essence and heart of the movie, People We Meet on Vacation is the one for you. The buzz it'll deliver will be unmatched. There's so much to look forward to in how many book scenes can make it onto the screen, and even if they aren't, Bader and Blyth are such stunning performers that they'll surely fill in all the gaps we need to make every arc deeply compelling.
The Love Hypothesis (2026)
We don't have official confirmation about whether The Love Hypothesis will be released in 2026, but considering the fact that we know they've wrapped filming, I can't imagine it taking any longer. And selfishly, I can't wait that long either. Ali Hazelwood delivers the best type of fake dating in an academic setting, and the story is one that's undoubtedly going to stick with you when it's out.
Like People We Meet on Vacation, the casting is also everything because Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman feel like they've been shaken straight out of the book. The one TikTok of him literally carrying her with one hand still lives rent-free in my mind, and I think about it at least once a day and twice on Sundays. Genuinely don't know how I'm going to cope with this whole movie on my screen. If you love fake dating and a grueling academic setting, plus women in STEM, The Love Hypothesis will be your next big obsession.
Every Year After (2026)
Based on Carley Fortune's bestselling romance novels, Every Summer After and likely One Golden Summer, the TV series, Every Year After, is set to include stories with all the books in the kind of beachy escapism that we've all been itching for since The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022) ended. It's going to be the best thing to give us second chance romances and stories with complex characters, and I'm personally most psyched about all the angst we could get in this series.With a casting announced and production hopefully beginning early next year, there's a good chance we can have this one in 2026. Bonus points if it's actually ready by the summer, because it'll add all the necessary feels and give us all the vibes to geek out over it.
It Happened One Summer (2026)
I have a feeling that we may actually get the adaptation of Tessa Bailey's It Happened One Summer in 2027 rather than 2026, but maybe adding it to this list can serve as some sort of manifestation. 2026 absolutely should be the year of rom-com adaptations, and it's all I want. That said, the first of the Bellinger Sisters novels will star Nina Dobrev and Tyler Hoechlin, which in and of itself is so exciting.
Here's the thing with romance adaptations: a lot of times, people really underestimate just how much casting matters to sell these stories. Sometimes, that means that slight character quirks like hair or eye colors might change, but the right actor can still capture the heart of the character in the best way possible to do right by the books, and that's what matters. We've got great casting here, so it's enough to be eager about the opposites-attract grumpy/sunshine romance.
Off-Campus Series (2026)
The Off-Campus series, which is set to follow Elle Kennedy's books, is going to air on Prime Video, and there's a very good chance that we'll see it come to pass in 2026. With an ensemble cast similar to how we watch seasons with Bridgerton, that's presumably how the series will roll out, giving us more sports romances in a college setting, which is something I feel we haven't gotten much of since early 2000s CW shows.
The series will be perfect for you if you love sports, opposites attract, and solid found family vibes. Again, it's unclear how much can change from the books to the screen, but there's already a lot to be excited for with the cast and the fact that it's getting a series order to flesh out all the characters.
You Deserve Each Other (2026)
A second chance romance with an engaged couple who are constantly at each other's throats? Sign me up. Right away. Immediately. Sarah Hogle's gorgeous novel is getting an adaptation with Penn Badgley and Meghann Fahy. And now's the chance to finally cleanse our brains from everything we saw in You (2018). But also, Meghann Fahy? Iconic.
More than that, stories about marriages (engagements, in this case) and the things people will do to save them are always some of my favorites. Add in the hijinks these two keep pulling, and this love story is going to hit twice as hard. If you love romances that are centered around opposite pairings cut from the same cloth and rich banter, there's a good chance You Deserve Each Other is going to scratch all the right itches for you.
The Bodyguard (2026)
While Katherine Center's novel isn't exactly a holiday rom-com, Netflix's adaptation of The Bodyguard will be turning it into one. Starring Jared Padalecki and Leighton Meester, this one's going to be especially great if you've read the books and love the concept of her being the bodyguard instead of him. Also, not to be confused with The Bodyguard (1992).
The film is likely to be released this coming year, as Netflix has recently doubled up on its holiday releases around December, so we're in for a treat. The casting is also doing something so specific for the Gossip Girl (2007) and Supernatural (2005) girlies, I wouldn't even know where to begin when it comes to unpacking all of that. If anyone comes across a time machine, let me know.
In a Holidaze (2026)
In a time loop story that's bound to bring some magical realism into our holiday season, In a Holidaze is so much fun in text that I can't wait to see how it's developed on-screen. The recently announced cast will be starring Maddie Ziegler, Rob Lowe, Graham Phillips, and Elias Kacavas, and it'll hit Netflix hopefully in the coming year.
It's perfect for anyone who loves Palm Springs (2020), and like The Bodyguard, it can give us two incredible holiday romance adaptations to look forward to. If you want a precious and gorgeous romance that'll help you escape reality, I have a feeling this one's going to be it.
