Anyone But You Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer And More Details
Romantic comedy fans have been itching for a new high-quality addition to the genre for a while now. There have been some good gems in recent years — such as "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" in the teen rom-com subgenre or, in the more adult realm, "Set It Up" and "No Hard Feelings." But many rom-com fans long for the days of what it was like in, say, the late '80s through the '90s, when classic romantic comedies were coming out left and right. After all, 1999 saw the release of "10 Things I Hate About You," "Never Been Kissed," and "Notting Hill," just to name a few.
Well, news of an upcoming and highly anticipated rom-com titled "Anyone But You," starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, has been circulating for a while, and fans are hoping it will be the next truly great film of the genre. Here's what we know so far about "Anyone But You."
When will Anyone But You be released?
Rom-com fans are certainly eager to see "Anyone But You," and fortunately, they won't have to wait much longer. The movie will be a tentpole holiday attraction, with the romantic comedy exclusively hitting theaters on December 22, 2023. That means it'll have plenty of time to play during the opening Christmas weekend. It also means it'll be competing with "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" and "The Iron Claw" in theaters, all while Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon Part I: A Child of Fire" will try to keep people at home and on Netflix. Of course, those films aren't really aiming for the same audience, and we're hoping "Anyone But You" can kick off a romantic comedy revival.
What is the plot of Anyone But You?
There's a classic rom-com trope about two enemies falling in love, and "Anyone But You" will be leaning hard on that concept. As the official plot synopsis puts it, "Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date, something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold — until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do — pretend to be a couple."
The two stars also shed a little bit of light on their characters at 2023's CinemaCon, where Powell said, "This movie's about two people that hate each other. Sydney plays a character [who is] a real nightmare." Sweeney then added that Powell's character isn't so nice himself. Powell continued, "And what better place to put a nightmare and an a**h*** than on the other side of the world in the most romantic setting imaginable?"
Deadline dished a bit more on the plot in May 2023, saying, "The screwball comedy ... follows two people who loathe each other so much — they can't resist the other. The pic ... follows the two as they go on various vacation hijinks from falling off boats to getting big spiders down their pants." But this is a romantic comedy as much as it a slapstick one, and Bea and Ben have to keep up the appearances of being a couple during a series of wedding events to stop Bea's parents from getting her back with her ex and so Ben can reunite with his own ex through the power of jealousy.
Who is starring in Anyone But You?
As mentioned above, "Anyone But You" stars Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney as the two romantic leads.
Powell, who recently gained widespread attention for his role in "Top Gun: Maverick," is no stranger to the romantic comedy. In 2018, he starred opposite Zoey Deutch in the Netflix rom-com "Set it Up." Other notable projects of his include the 2016 historical drama "Hidden Figures" and the 2015 satirical slasher TV series "Scream Queens." Besides "Anyone But You," Powell has a few more upcoming projects in the works, including the remake of "Twister" and Richard Linklater's "Hit Man."
Sweeney, of course, is best known for her roles in "Euphoria" and "The White Lotus" Season 1, both of which earned her Emmy nominations. Before "Euphoria," Sweeney gained attention for her roles in "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Sharp Objects," both in 2018. Other recent projects include two 2021 films, erotic thriller "The Voyeurs" and vampire thriller "Night Teeth." Alongside "Anyone But You," Sweeney's upcoming projects include her introduction to the world of superheroes with "Madame Web," in which she will play Julia Carpenter.
Alongside Powell and Sweeney, "Anyone But You" also features Dermot Mulroney, who is no stranger to rom-coms, having starred opposite Julia Roberts in "My Best Friend's Wedding," as well as opposite Debra Messing in "The Wedding Date." Michelle Hurd ("Star Trek: Picard"), Alexandra Shipp ("X-Men: Apocalypse"), Darren Barnet ("Never Have I Ever"), Rachel Griffiths ("Hacksaw Ridge"), Hadley Robinson ("Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty"), GaTa ("Dave"), and Bryan Brown ("The Thorn Birds") also co-star.
Who is directing Anyone But You?
Will Gluck, who has been working as a director since 2009, is helming the upcoming romantic comedy. Lucky for fans hoping "Anyone But You" will fill the rom-com void, Gluck has experience in the genre, so rest assured, he knows what he's doing.
In 2010, he directed "Easy A" starring Emma Stone, and in 2011, he directed Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake in "Friends With Benefits." Since the latter, Gluck has taken a bit of a break from rom-coms, focusing instead on family films such as 2014's "Annie" and 2018's "Peter Rabbit." Gluck shares writing credits for "Anyone But You" alongside Ilana Wolpert, who previously wrote on "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." "Anyone But You" is her first feature film writing credit.
Is there a trailer for Anyone But You?
On October 19, 2023, Sony Pictures Entertainment released a first look at its upcoming romantic comedy "Anyone But You" in the form of a minute-long teaser trailer. Emphasizing the presence of stars, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, their names fill the screen in between sultry shots of the couple, a hint at the premise, and some comic violence.
The official trailer, released on November 16, rounds out the details. Bea and Ben have history together, and when they both attend a destination wedding in Australia, they proceed to let loose with the barbs and insults. However, they might actually need each other before the trip is over. As it turns out, Bea's ex is attending the same wedding, and her parents desperately want them to get back together. Crazier still, Ben's ex is attending too, and he really wants to get her back.
We then watch Bea and Ben concoct their little plan — pretend to be together. That way, Bea's parents will back off and Ben's ex will get jealous and want him back. Things then get strategically affectionate — increasingly so — in order to make the ruse seem realistic. This awkward arrangement leads to a lot of comic mishaps, like starting a fire, Bea falling off a boat, and Ben getting attacked by a giant spider in the woods, which somehow leaves both of them in their skivvies. The trailer also suggests a romance might be the end point of "Anyone But You," as the fakery begins to turn into real feelings.
What will Anyone But You be rated?
It was revealed at CinemaCon that "Anyone But You" will be rated R. This news certainly bodes well for rom-com fans looking for something more mature and provocative. After all, many of the best romantic comedies of all time are rated R — such as "When Harry Met Sally," "Pretty Woman," "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Bridget Jones's Diary," to name just a few.
In March, star Sydney Sweeney spoke to Entertainment Tonight about what fans can expect with "Anyone But You," alluding to the reason for the rating (sex) and discussing why it'll please even the most ardent rom-com fans. Sweeney said, "Just know the movie is going to be so much fun. It is so funny. And it gives love, it gives humor, it gives sex. It gives all the great things that make a movie. And we want to bring back the good ol' rom-coms with Will Gluck, and we're having a great time doing it."