Lynn Painter's Fake Skating film adaptation in development at Sony

Will Gluck's Olive Bridge teams with Sony to adapt Lynn Painter's bestselling rom-com 'Fake Skating' for film

Will Gluck's Olive Bridge banner is teaming with Sony Pictures to develop a feature film adaptation of Lynn Painter's New York Times bestselling novel, Fake Skating, Deadline has learned.

The novel, which won the 2025 Goodreads Choice Award, marks the first book from the bestselling author to be adapted for the screen. Painter announced the news on her social media accounts.

Fake Skating is a heartfelt and banter-filled romantic comedy about childhood sweethearts whose icy reunion in their hockey-loving hometown unexpectedly thaws when they fake a romantic relationship. Gluck, Jacqueline Monetta, and Madison Jones are producing on behalf of Olive Bridge, with Painter serving as executive producer.

The book has been a publishing phenomenon since its release in September 2025. It has appeared on the New York Times YA Hardcover Bestseller list every week since publication, holding the No. 1 spot for 10 of those weeks. With more than 200,000 copies in print, the novel has been translated into 16 languages.

Gluck brings extensive rom-com credentials to the project. He most recently directed and produced Sony's box office hit Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. The film earned over $220 million globally, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated romantic comedy worldwide since 2012's Silver Linings Playbook.

Gluck's rom-com resume also includes 2011's Friends With Benefits starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, and 2010's Easy A starring Emma Stone. He also launched the Peter Rabbit franchise. His upcoming film One Night Only, starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, will be released by Universal Pictures in August 2026.

Painter is the No. 1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of multiple novels, including Better Than the Movies, The Do-Over, Betting on You, Mr. Wrong Number, The Love Wager, and Nothing Like the Movies.

Painter is repped by Kim Lionetti at BookEnds Literary Agency and UTA. Gluck is repped by UTA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.