The Love Hypothesis backdrop
The Love Hypothesis poster
Romance Comedy
Fake dating. Real chemistry.

The Love Hypothesis (2026)

Release date 23/09/2026
Country United States of America
Production
MRC MRC
Amazon MGM Studios Amazon MGM Studios
Small Victory Productions
The Cantillon Company
Overview
Olive Smith, a biology PhD candidate, and Dr. Adam Carlsen, a hotshot professor and well-known tyrant, enter into a fake relationship, seeing each of their carefully calculated theories on love get thrown into chaos.
Directors & Screenwriters
Claire Scanlon profile photo
Claire Scanlon
Director
Default profile image
Sarah Rothschild
Screenwriter
Cast
Lili Reinhart profile photo
Lili Reinhart
as Olive Smith
Tom Bateman profile photo
Tom Bateman
as Dr. Adam Carlsen
Rachel Marsh profile photo
Rachel Marsh
as Anh Pham
Jaboukie Young-White profile photo
Jaboukie Young-White
as Malcolm Browne
Nicholas Duvernay profile photo
Nicholas Duvernay
as Jeremy Langley
All trailers
Romance Comedy

The Love Hypothesis

Official Trailer

Video: YouTube
Duration: 01:59
Did You Know?
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A Star‑Wars‑born rom‑com lands on Prime Video, and it’s buzzing for all the right reasons

Prime Video’s newest romance comedy, The Love Hypothesis, drops on September 23, 2026, and it carries a secret lineage that will make any galaxy‑far‑far‑away fan smile. The film is adapted from Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel, which itself sprouted from a 2018 Star Wars fan‑fiction titled “Head over Feet.” Though the story was later stripped of its Jedi trappings, the original spark still shines through the modern romance of Olive and Adam, whose push‑and‑pull mirrors the iconic Rey‑Kylo dynamic. The on‑screen chemistry has become the talk of the town, thanks in large part to leads Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman. Critics are lauding the pair’s electric rapport, and Bateman’s involvement adds a delightful layer of serendipity—he’s married to Daisy Ridley, the actress who famously embodied Rey. This behind‑the‑scenes Star Wars tie‑in feels like a wink to fans, cementing the movie’s place as a quirky crossover of fandoms. Beyond the buzz, The Love Hypothesis is being hailed as a potential springboard for more Hazelwood adaptations, with titles like Check & Mate and Love, Theoretically already on the radar. As the rom‑com garners rave reviews for its steamy beats and witty script, it may well open the door for a new wave of literary‑to‑screen love stories, all while keeping a subtle nod to the galaxy that inspired its birth.
Lili Reinart & Tom Bateman Premiere New Rom-Com ‘The Love Hypothesis’ in London
Image via justjared.com,

Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman turn London’s purple carpet into a love‑lab experiment

The star‑studded London premiere of The Love Hypothesis lit up the BFI Southbank’s purple carpet on September 9, where Lili Reinhart dazzled in a vintage Emanuel Ungaro dress of purple and blue, while Tom Bateman kept it classic in a navy suit. The event also welcomed producer Elizabeth Cantillon, co‑star Arty Froushan and director Claire Scanlon, snapping plenty of photos that captured the film’s romantic vibe. The rom‑com follows Olive (Reinhart), a brilliant Ph.D. candidate whose academic ambitions are thrown into chaos when she impulsively kisses her intimidating professor Adam Carlsen (Bateman) to prove she’s over her friend Ahn’s crush on Jeremy. What starts as a calculated, fake relationship quickly blurs the line between performance and genuine feeling, forcing Olive to test the ultimate hypothesis: that love might actually be worth the risk. Joining Reinhart and Bateman are Rachel Marsh as Ahn, Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy, and Jaboukie Young‑White, bringing the ensemble to life. Based on Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 New York Times bestseller, the film will debut on Prime Video on September 23, giving fans a chance to see whether the on‑screen chemistry translates to streaming success.
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Lili Reinhart’s daring green gown steals the spotlight for ‘The Love Hypothesis’

When Lili Reinhart hit the press circuit for her new rom‑com, she chose a look that felt like a cinematic love‑letter. The Riverdale alum slipped into a plunging green Tory Burch dress that hung by just two delicate strings, instantly echoing the iconic library scene from the 2007 film Atonement. Designed as a modern homage to Jacqueline Durran’s original gown for Keira Knightley, the custom piece was reborn for Vogue World: Hollywood before finding its way onto Reinhart’s red‑carpet. The silhouette’s daring neckline is balanced by a white Sakura Blossom brooch from Anabela Chan, a diamond Fleur‑de‑Lys bracelet and a supersized diamond shard bracelet, turning the look into a glittering tribute. Fans quickly caught the reference, quoting the famous “Come back. Come back to me” line and dubbing Reinhart the “rom‑com queen of our generation.” The buzz has only amplified excitement for The Love Hypothesis, where Reinhart plays Olive, and the dress has become a talking point as memorable as the film’s romantic premise itself.
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Lili Reinhart’s Olive kisses a professor in Prime Video’s new rom‑com adaptation, and fans are buzzing

Prime Video is adding another literary hit to its growing roster of book‑to‑screen adaptations with Ali Hazelwood’s bestseller The Love Hypothesis, set to stream on September 23. The platform has already turned titles like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Red, White & Royal Blue into fan‑favorite series, and this latest project promises to keep the momentum going. The film follows brilliant PhD candidate Olive (Lili Reinhart), whose academic ambitions are suddenly sidetracked when she impulsively kisses intimidating professor Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman) to help her best friend Anh (Rachel Marsh) move on from a crush on Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay). What starts as a protective gesture quickly spirals into a fake relationship with clear rules and boundaries, blurring the line between performance and genuine feeling. As Olive and Adam navigate their mutually beneficial arrangement, the story teases a central hypothesis: could love truly be worth the risk? The trailer hints at witty banter, chemistry‑charged moments, and a heartfelt exploration of the messy overlap between career aspirations and matters of the heart. For book lovers and rom‑com enthusiasts alike, The Love Hypothesis looks poised to deliver a faithful, yet fresh, take on Hazelwood’s beloved novel.