The Idea Of You Cast, Director, Plot And More Details
For those who feel romantic comedies have little to offer, "The Idea of You" might be just what you were looking for. The upcoming Amazon Studios release stems from the 2017 novel of the same name by actor Robinne Lee, which has been picking up in popularity in more recent years.
Even early in its production, the film adaptation drummed up interest from several well-known names and talents, such as Anne Hathaway, Gabrielle Union, and Michael Showalter. And it's easy to see why so many have become attracted to the project. Whether you look at its rich source material, compelling premise, or stellar cast, "The Idea of You" is overflowing with the potential to be a worthwhile release. So when will it be out? Who's starring in it? What's it even about? Fear not, as Looper has everything you need to know about this exciting production and all it has presented so far.
When will The Idea of You be released?
Currently, "The Idea of You" does not have an official release date. The film, an adaptation of the 2017 Robinne Lee novel of the same name, was initially announced in December 2018 with Welle Entertainment acquiring the project. At the same time, it was announced that "Bring It On" star Gabrielle Union would be producing the film through her production company I'll Have Another.
Union is no stranger to the source material, even putting "The Idea of You" on a Vulture list of her ten favorite books of all time, saying, "Robinne's book appears to be one thing on the surface but provides the reader a much deeper, complex, insightful journey that she will not soon forget."
Filming took place in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, in October 2022. Given that information, it's more than likely that the team has completed shooting. However, at this point, it's safe to assume the film will be coming out sometime in 2024.
What is the plot of The Idea of You?
As mentioned previously, "The Idea of You" takes its story from a novel by "Hitch" and "Fifty Shades Darker" actor Robinne Lee, with the adaptation helmed by "The First Lady" writer Jennifer Westfeldt. The book's cinematic adaptation contains rich possibilities to explore a very different kind of love story that simultaneously comments on our modern-day culture.
The story focuses on Solène, a mother nearing her 40s tasked with taking her daughter to Coachella, where a popular boy band is performing. Solène ends up meeting the band's leader, 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, and the two strike up a complicated relationship. The book has been said to be heavily inspired by singer Harry Styles and his fanbase, with many fans helping the book become a sleeper hit during the pandemic.
Despite this, Lee's true intention with the story was to express a story about aging, telling Vogue, "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." With such a unique blend of ideas, the film adaptation of "The Idea of You" is shaping up to make for an intriguing watch, to say the least.
Who is starring in The Idea of You?
The cast of "The Idea of You" is a stellar bunch of A-listers who are sure to enhance the upcoming film's already fascinating premise. Taking on the lead role of Solène (previously billed as "Sophie") is none other than Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway. "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Interstellar" star was announced to be a part of the project in June 2021. Over a year later, on September 2022, it was announced that "Purple Hearts" star Nicholas Galitzine would be joining the cast as Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of the fictional band August Moon. This will be the actor's second production with Amazon Studios, having starred in the company's 2021 film "Cinderella" as Prince Robert.
Starring as Hathaway's fictional daughter is Ella Rubin, best known for her roles in the HBO Max "Gossip Girl" reboot and Hulu's "The Girl From Plainville." She was announced as part of the project in October 2022, the same month that the film started shooting. Later that same month, actors Jaiden Anthony, Raymond Cham, Vik White and Dakota Adan were announced as the remaining August Moon band members. Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld and Jordan Aaron Hall joined the project shortly after.
Who is directing The Idea of You?
Helming "The Idea of You" is director Michael Showalter. Showalter was announced to be taking charge of the film on August 2022. The director became well-known after co-producing, writing and starring in the 2001 cult classic "Wet Hot American Summer." He had a similar hand in later additions to the franchise, acting as a writer and executive producer on the Netflix mini-series "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" and "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later."
While Showalter's feature directorial debut, 2005's "The Baxter," received little fanfare and some rough reviews, his next few filmmaking efforts yielded significantly better results. The 2015 romantic comedy "Hello, My Name is Doris," starring Sally Field, became a surprise box office and critical hit. His following 2017 film, "The Big Sick," was an even more rewarding effort, becoming one of the year's highest-grossing independent titles while also nabbing an original screenplay nomination from the Academy Awards.
His next film, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," managed to snag two Oscars, one for best makeup and hairstyling and another for Jessica Chastain's lead performance. Showalter's latest film came in 2022's "Spoiler Alert," starring Jim Parsons, and received positive reviews with an 85% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.