The romance genre continues to surge, and the momentum is not slowing down. The Idea of You, based on Robinne Lee’s bestselling novel of the same name, is getting the film adaptation treatment. The movie follows the whirlwind romance between Solène, a 40-year-old divorced mother, and Hayes Campbell, the dashing and talented member of the boy band August Moon who also happens to be 20 years old.
The Idea of You is already one of the most highly-anticipated adaptations of 2024. With this cast, we will be seated when this movie is released. HaySolNuts, you won’t have to wait too much longer. From the premiere date to the actors playing Solène and Hayes, here’s everything you need to know about The Idea of You.
‘The Idea of You’ Premiere Date
The Idea of You will have its world premiere on the closing night of South by Southwest on March 16, 2024. The film will be released on Prime Video on May 2, 2024.
‘The Idea of You’ Cast
For those who have read the book, it’s all about Solène and Hayes. Anne Hathaway will be playing Solène in The Idea of You. Nicholas Galitzine will play her love interest, Hayes Campbell. Nicholas has been a star on the rise after the release of Purple Hearts and Red, White & Royal Blue. In addition to The Idea of You, he’ll be starring in the STARZ limited series Mary & George this spring.
While The Idea of You is all about Solène and Hayes’ romance, several key cast members also fit into their world. Additional cast includes Ella Rubin as Izzy, Reid Scott as Daniel, Perry Mattfeld as Eva, Annie Mumolo as Tracy, Jordan Aaron Hall as Zeke, Jaiden Anthony as Adrian, Raymond Cham Jr. as Oliver, Viktor White as Simon, and Dakota Adan as Rory.
Filming took place from October to December 2022 in Georgia. On the last day of filming, Nicholas posted a heartfelt message about the film. “Well, that’s a wrap on The Idea of You! 10 photos is not nearly enough to include all the incredible people who made this project as special as it was. And unfortunately I can’t share half the photos or I’ll spoil our story. To my wonderful crew, I can’t thank you enough for the beautiful experience I had on this job. Love you,” he wrote on Instagram.
The film was directed by Michael Showalter with a screenplay by Jennifer Westfeldt. Robinne serves as a producer alongside Gabrielle Union, Cathy Schulman, Belle Hope Dayne, Eric Hayes, Jordana Mollick, and Michael.
What Is ‘The Idea of You’ About?
The official synopsis for the film reads: “The film centers on Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’ superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.”
Many readers have theorized that The Idea of You is inspired by Harry Styles fan fiction. When asked if Harry inspired her novel, Robinne told Vogue that “inspired is a strong word.” She noted, “This was never supposed to be a book about Harry Styles. 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.”
Robinne revealed that she was inspired to write the book when her husband was away on business. She told Deborah Kalb in 2017 that she was “up late surfing music videos on YouTube” and “came across the face of a boy I’d never seen in a band I’d never paid attention to. … It was like…art.” She went on to find out that “he often dated older women, and so the seed was planted.”
Before writing The Idea of You, Robinne had been working on a semi-autobiographical novel about her past relationship with a younger man. When that book didn’t come to fruition, she took elements of that younger guy and helped form Hayes. “I made him into my dream guy,” she told Vogue, “like Prince Harry, meets Harry [Styles].”
When SXSW announced that The Idea of You would have its world premiere on the closing night of the festival, Claudette Godfrey, VP of Film & TV for SXSW, released a statement: “Michael Showalter has done it again. The Idea of You is a sexy, unexpected masterpiece with a fresh perspective on love, age, attraction, and the timeless nature of human connection. We can’t wait for our audiences to have fun falling in love with Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine as their irresistible chemistry catches fire!”