Ali Hazelwood’s popular romance novel The Love Hypothesis is being adapted into a feature film. As reported by Deadline, casting began in mid-July 2025, with Lili Reinhart confirmed to portray the lead character, PhD candidate Olive Smith. Reinhart will also serve as an executive producer. The following day, Deadline revealed that Tom Bateman (Murder on the Orient Express) will star opposite her as Dr. Adam Carlsen, a respected and notoriously intimidating professor.
Additional casting updates from Deadline in August confirmed Rachel Marsh (Adults) as Anh, Jaboukie Young-White (Companion) as Malcolm, Nicholas Duvernay (The White Lotus) as Jeremy, and Arty Froushan (Daredevil: Born Again) as Tom.
Claire Scanlon (Set It Up) will direct the adaptation, working from a screenplay by Sarah Rothschild (The Sleepover). Elizabeth Cantillon (The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Charlie’s Angels) is producing, alongside Reinhart, Catherine Hagedorn, and Hazelwood, with the film being developed by Amazon MGM Studios and MRC.
The Love Hypothesis was first published on September 14, 2021, by Berkley Books. Hazelwood has confirmed that the novel began as fanfiction inspired by Star Wars characters Rey and Kylo Ren. The plot centers on Olive and Dr. Carlsen, who enter into a fake relationship to explore their theories about love, with comedic and romantic consequences. Dr. Carlsen is depicted as a brilliant but demanding academic figure.
Hazelwood has authored several other romance titles, including Love, Theoretically, Love on the Brain, Loathe to Love You, Stuck With You, Below Zero, Deep End, Bride, Problematic Summer Romance, Under One Roof, and Not in Love.
No release date for the film has been announced.
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