Can Harry Styles fan fiction become a movie? Well, Robinne Lee’s viral 2017 novel, “The Idea Of You,” a romantic dramedy about a single mom who meets a boy band star at Coachella and then falls in love with him, was always thought to be exactly that. However, the author always denied it (more on that later). Either way, “The Idea Of You” is now a movie starring Anne Hathaway.
Directed by Michael Showalter, known for “Wet Hot American Summer,” and other comedies, the filmmaker has become something of a hot commodity in recent years tackling more serious fare, and directed Jessica Chastain to a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” Showalter has also directed acclaimed comedies with heart, like “The Big Sick,” and acclaimed TV like “The Dropout” starring Amanda Seyfried.
Hathaway stars as the 40 year old single mom of the movie starring opposite Nicholas Galitzine, who plays the boy band stars and broke out recently with performances in “Purple Hearts” (2022) and “Red, White & Royal Blue” (2023),
The film also stars Ellen Rubin, Reid Scott, Annie Mumolo, Nina Bloomgarden, Raymond Cham, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Jordan Aaron Hall, Chandler Lovelle, Cheech Manohar, Perry Mattfeld, and Meg Millidge.
“This was never supposed to be a book about Harry Styles,” Lee told Vogue In 2020. “It was supposed to be a story about a woman approaching 40 and reclaiming her sexuality and rediscovering herself, just at the point that society traditionally writes women off as desirable and viable and whole.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
“The Idea Of You” premieres May 2, 2024, on Prime Video but will make its world premiere next week at the SXSW Film & TV Festival. Watch the new trailer below.