The Rom-Com Is Back! 23 Movies & Series to Watch in 2023
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When it comes to television, audiences are typically divided between drama and comedy, but 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for rom-coms!
Whether it’s films or series, there’s something for every viewer, and we’re just dying to dive into some of these tantalizing titles. Among the highlights released so far are Prime Video‘s Red, White & Royal Blue and Netflix‘s Happiness for Beginners. Amazon Freevee got into the game with Puppy Love, and Hulu takes a musical route with the release of its series Up Here. And Apple TV+ is making a dent with Still Up.
Then there’s Disney+‘s family-friendly Prom Pact, and the return of Max‘s Our Flag Means Death among others, to check out. Below, we’re rounding up some of the rom-com titles we’re looking forward to most in 2023 alongside the ones we already love so far this year. Scroll down for a peek into the future, and let us know what shows and films you’re excited to see on TV this year in the comments section.
Shotgun Wedding (Prime Video)
Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel lead this starry and tropical rom-com action flick about a couple named Darcy and Tom who, despite experiencing cold feet, fly their family out for a destination wedding only for the party, only to end up being held hostage. Along with Lopez and Duhamel, the cast includes Jennifer Coolidge, Lenny Kravitz, Steve Zahn, and more. Available Now
Somebody I Used to Know (Prime Video)
Alison Brie leads this Prime Video movie as Ally, a TV producer who heads home after facing a career setback. After spending a whirlwind evening with her first love Sean (Jay Ellis), she begins to question the person she’s become. Things get even more complicated when Ally discovers Sean is getting married to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons), a young woman who reminds her of the person she used to be. Adding a layer of intrigue is the fact that Brie wrote the film with real-life husband Dave Franco who directs. Available Now
Your Place or Mine (Netflix)
This Netflix title starring Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher centers around two best friends who are total opposites. While Debbie (Witherspoon) leads a routine lifestyle in LA with her son, Peter (Kutcher) thrives amid spontaneity in New York City. When they swap homes and lives for a week, they begin to realize their desires aren’t the same as what they really need in life. Available Now
At Midnight (Paramount+)
Paramount+ is getting in the rom-com game with At Midnight, which follows actress Sophie (Monica Barbaro) and hotel manager Alejandro (Diego Boneta). When Sophie catches her boyfriend cheating, fate strikes and she’s sent to film at Alejandro’s Mexico-set hotel. Despite leading different lives, these two souls connect when they begin to secretly meet at midnight. Available Now
Up Here (Hulu)
Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes lead this musical romantic comedy series for Hulu. The New York City-set show takes place in the finale days of 1999 and tracks the extraordinary journey of one ordinary couple as they fall in love. The only problem? They’ll have to discover that the greatest obstacle in their path to finding happiness together is themselves. Available Now
Prom Pact (Disney+)
Disney+’s upcoming made-for-streaming movie follows Mandy Yang (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a teen who, along with her fellow outside bestie Ben (Milo Manheim), is surrounded by various ’80s-themed proposals. But Mandy isn’t so focused on the high school tradition as she has her sights set on Harvard. When she’s waitlisted, Mandy decides her best chance at landing herself a spot at the school is by asking for help from popular jock Graham Lansing (Blake Draper) whose father is a Harvard alum. Along the way, she’ll discover that perhaps there’s more important things in life than Harvard. Available Now
Rye Lane (Hulu)
This film from director Raine Allen-Miller features David Jonsson as Dom and Vivian Oparah as Yas who are living in the wake of tough breakups. When they meet each other on an eventful day in South London, they help each other deal with their exes and begin restoring their faith in romance. Available Now
Ghosted (Apple TV+)
When Chris Evans’ Cole falls in love with Ana de Armas’ Sadie, he never expected she’d turn out to be a secret agent. Before the pair can agree on a second date though, they’ll be swept away on a international adventure in order to save the world. What’s more to love? Available Now
XO, Kitty (Netflix)
A spinoff to Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Lara Jean’s (Lana Condor) little sister Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) returns for her own romantic adventure abroad in South Korea. Available Now
The Perfect Find (Netflix)
Gabrielle Union plays Jenna, a woman who returns to New York in order to revive her fashion career, working under mogul Darcy (Gina Torres). But when Jenna falls for her younger coworker Eric (Keith Powers), who also happens to be Darcy’s son, things get complicated.
Heartstopper (Netflix)
Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick’s (Kit Connor) sweet teen romance continues with the second season of Heartstopper. The pair event travel to the romantic city of Paris for the must-see chapter. Available Now
Happiness for Beginners (Netflix)
Ellie Kemper’s Helen sets out on a hiking vacation in hopes of finding herself, but her plans go awry when her brother’s best friend Jake (Yellowstone‘s Luke Grimes) is also part of the hiking group. Will their differences bring them closer together? Tune in to see. Available Now
Red, White, & Royal Blue (Prime Video)
Based on Casey McQuiston’s best-selling novel of the same name, Red, White & Royal Blue tells the story of Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). Counterparts in the sense that Alex’s mother is the President of the United States and Henry is the prince of England, the pair begin their story as enemies, but when their handlers stage a truce, the faux reconciliation soon turns into something more authentic and serious between the pair. In other words, enemies-to-lovers gold. Available Now
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Prime Video)
While it may be a little more dramatic than the average rom-com, The Summer I Turned Pretty continues the story of Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) and the unraveling love triangle between her and the Fisher brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Season 2 includes some solid pairings beyond the main trio, which are sure to delight. Available Now
Puppy Love (Freevee)
Nicole (Lucy Hale) and Max (Grant Gustin) couldn’t be more different. While Nicole’s life is messy, Max’s is lonely and they initially bond on a dating app over their new dogs. After a disastrous first date, they vow never to see each other again, until they discover their pups are expecting puppies together. Available Now
Love Again(Netflix)
Not an actual Netflix original, this film follows Mira (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), a woman who has been grieving the loss of her boyfriend. As a means of coping, she begins texting his phone number which happens to belong to someone else now, a writer named Rob (Outlander‘s Sam Heughan). Intrigued by the meaningful messages, curiosity, and perhaps even love, woo him in her direction. Streaming now
Sitting in Bars With Cake (Prime Video)
The film follows the story of two best friends, Jane (Yara Shahidi) and Corinne (Odessa A’zion). While Corinne is an extrovert, her bestie Jane is a shy home baker. When Corinne convinced Jane to commit to a year of baking cakes and bringing them to bars, it helps bolster Jane’s confidence. During this experience, they coin “cakebarring,” Corinne receives a life-altering diagnosis that will change everything. While it leans more towards friendship, this film is also set to include rom-com elements you won’t want to miss. Premieres Friday, September 8
Love at First Sight (Netflix)
When Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) misses her flight from New York to London, she crosses paths with Oliver (Ben Hardy) at the airport, and over the course of their flight to the U.K. they form an instant connection. But will fate get in the way of their blossoming romance? Premieres Friday, September 15, Netflix
Still Up (Apple TV+)
This series follows best friends Lisa (Antonia Thomas) and Danny (Craig Roberts) who bond over a shared state of insomnia. Still Up tracks their late nights over the phone as they find their way through a world filled with weird surprises. At the same time, viewers will see how their unique relationship unfolds. Premieres Friday, September 22
Our Flag Means Death (Max)
The pirate comedy may have silly swashbuckling scenarios, but at its core, Our Flag Means Death is a rom-com between the inexperienced Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Blackbeard, a.k.a. Ed (Taika Waititi). While the duo ended Season 1 apart, the second season is already hinting at an epic reunion for the pirate pair. Tuning in to see how said reunion will unfold is a must. Season 2 Premiere, Thursday, October 5
A Family Affair (Netflix)
This upcoming Netflix flick follows a surprising romance with comic consequences for a young woman, her mother, and her movie star boss as they face complications of love, sex, and identity. Directed by Richard LaGravenese who writes the movie alongside Carrie Solomon. Meanwhile, A Family Affair features Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Liza Koshy, and Kathy Bates.
Premiere Date TBA
Irish Wish (Netflix)
In this supernatural, romantic comedy Lindsay Lohan‘s Maddie is in love with her best friend’s betrothed, and one day she wakes up to discover she’s now the bride-to-be instead. Set in the green moors of Ireland, the movie sees Maddie learn that her dreams for true love may not be what she initially imagined. Ed Speleers, Alexander Vlahos, Ayesha Curry, Elizabeth Tan, and Jane Seymour are joining Lohan for the movie. Premiere Date TBA
Second Wife (Hulu)
Emma Roberts and Tom Ellis are set to lead Hulu’s romantic dramedy from creator and executive producer Meaghan Oppenheimer, who helmed the streamer’s adaptation of Tell Me Lies. According to Deadline, the series is about the ups and downs of a blended family. Fresh off of a breakup, Sasha (Roberts) leaves her life in New York behind to start over in London where she meets divorced dad Jacob (Ellis). When they decide to get married, they begin to discover that they don’t know that much about one another, making for a fun dynamic. Premiere date to be announced
