The plays of William Shakespeare are arguably the most frequently adapted in the world. But one of his most famous plays, “Much Ado About Nothing,” hasn’t been adapted for the big screen since 1993’s version by Kenneth Branagh. As one of the progenitors of the modern romantic comedy, it’s nearly shameful that ‘Much Ado’ has gone untouched for so long. But this mistake gets rectified with the upcoming romantic comedy “Anyone But You,” starring “Euphoria” star Sydney Sweeney and “Top Gun: Maverick” breakout actor Glen Powell.
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That “Anyone But You” updates ‘Much Ado’ is a delightful proposition considering the play’s aforementioned importance to the romantic comedy genre and the lack of adaptations, in comparison to “Hamlet” or “Romeo and Juliet.”
Directed by Will Gluck, from a script by Gluck and Ilana Wolpert, “Anyone But You” puts ‘Much Ado’ through the “10 Things I Hate About You” and “She’s the Man” blender, loosely adapting it for the modern age.
The movie stars Powell and Sweeney as college enemies who are reunited years later at the destination wedding of a mutual friend and are forced into pretending to be a couple. Both Powell and Sweeney are exciting talents on the cusp of movie stardom, and a romantic comedy is the perfect place to showcase their charm and charisma. It’s a very smart career move.
Here’s the official synopsis:
When college arch-nemeses reunite years after graduation for a destination wedding, they pretend to be a couple for their own personal reasons. But through pretending, they actually fall in love.
Behind the camera, Will Gluck has displayed a knack for sharp, quippy comedies, having helmed “Easy A” and “Friends with Benefits.” Also starring in “Anyone But You” are Alexandra Shipp, Dermot Mulroney, and Rachel Griffiths.
Rom-coms have been seemingly relegated to Netflix and streamers in our current age, but Sony Pictures Releasing is dropping the film on December 15, a sure sign of their confidence in the movie and genre’s power to engage on the big screen. Watch the first trailer below.
