Ali Hazelwood‘s bestselling romance The Love Hypothesis is finally making the leap from page to screen. After becoming one of BookTok’s biggest success stories, the 2021 novel is being adapted into a feature film for Prime Video, bringing Olive Smith and Adam Carlsen’s beloved fake dating romance to a global audience.
From its star-studded cast to its release date and first teaser, here’s everything we know about The Love Hypothesis movie.
When does The Love Hypothesis come out?
The Love Hypothesis is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video on September 23, 2026.
The romantic comedy has been developed by Amazon MGM Studios and MRC, making it one of Prime Video’s biggest romance releases of the year.
Who is in the cast?
Lili Reinhart leads the film as PhD candidate Olive Smith while also serving as an executive producer on the adaptation. She stars opposite British actor Tom Bateman, who plays the brilliant professor Dr. Adam Carlsen.
The supporting cast includes:
- Rachel Marsh as Anh
- Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy
- Jaboukie Young-White as Malcolm
- Arty Froushan as Tom
Together, they’ll bring to life many of the characters readers have come to love since the novel’s release.
What is The Love Hypothesis about?
The film follows Olive Smith, a doctoral student determined to focus on her scientific career rather than romance. However, after a spur-of-the-moment decision meant to convince her best friend that she’s moved on from an old crush, Olive unexpectedly kisses Professor Adam Carlsen.
The awkward encounter soon turns into a fake relationship that benefits them both. As the pair establish rules and boundaries to keep their arrangement strictly professional, their carefully planned experiment begins producing results neither of them anticipated.
Like the novel, the adaptation blends workplace romance, academic rivalry, and plenty of humour while exploring whether love can really be approached like a scientific hypothesis.
Who is making The Love Hypothesis?
Claire Scanlon, best known for directing the romantic comedy Set It Up, is directing the adaptation. The screenplay comes from Sarah Rothschild, while Elizabeth Cantillon serves as producer. Lili Reinhart, Ali Hazelwood, and Catherine Hagedorn are executive producers.
Is The Love Hypothesis based on a book?
Yes. The movie is based on Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel, which was published in September 2021.
The book quickly became an international bestseller and gained enormous popularity through BookTok. Hazelwood has also revealed that the story originally began life as Star Wars fanfiction centred on Rey and Kylo Ren before evolving into its own original romance.
Are more Ali Hazelwood books being adapted?
Yes. The Love Hypothesis won’t be the only Hazelwood novel heading to the screen. Amazon MGM Studios is also developing an adaptation of Love, Theoretically, with author Colleen Hoover attached as a producer and Sofia Alvarez directing.
With multiple adaptations now in development, Hazelwood’s novels continue to establish themselves as some of the most sought-after contemporary romance properties in Hollywood.
