Prime Video is expanding its romance slate with The Love Hypothesis, a feature-film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s New York Times best-selling novel, scheduled to begin streaming globally on September 23.
The film brings Hazelwood’s popular academic romance to the screen with Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman leading the cast. Produced by MRC and The Cantillon Company, the project combines romantic comedy with the competitive world of university research, following a Ph.D. candidate whose attempt to help a friend unexpectedly develops into a complicated relationship of her own.
Prime Video Adapts Ali Hazelwood Bestseller for Global Audience
At the centre of The Love Hypothesis is Olive, played by Reinhart, a talented Ph.D. candidate focused on building a future in academia. Her carefully structured life takes an unexpected turn after she discovers that her best friend, Ahn, played by Rachel Marsh, has developed feelings for Olive’s crush, Jeremy, portrayed by Nicholas Duvernay.
Determined to convince Ahn that she has moved on, Olive impulsively kisses professor Adam Carlsen, played by Bateman. The encounter leads to an arrangement between Olive and Adam that initially exists only for appearances.
Their fake relationship soon develops its own rules, boundaries and mutually beneficial terms. As the arrangement continues, however, the distinction between pretending to be romantically involved and developing genuine feelings becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.
The story ultimately puts Olive’s analytical approach to life against an emotional question she cannot easily resolve: whether pursuing a real relationship is worth the uncertainty and risk.
Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman Lead Ensemble Cast
Reinhart and Bateman headline a cast that also includes Marsh, Duvernay, Jaboukie Young-White and Arty Froushan.
The adaptation is directed by Claire Scanlon, whose television and film work has included several comedy projects. Sarah Rothschild wrote the screenplay, adapting Hazelwood’s novel for the screen.
Elizabeth Cantillon serves as producer, with MRC presenting the Cantillon Company production.
Hazelwood’s original novel became a prominent title in contemporary romance publishing, particularly among readers drawn to stories combining science, academia and romantic comedy. Its transition to streaming gives Prime Video another recognizable literary property as major platforms continue to invest in book-to-screen adaptations with established audiences.
Book-to-Screen Romance Adds to Prime Video Entertainment Strategy
The September launch places The Love Hypothesis within Prime Video’s broader catalogue of original and licensed entertainment. The streaming service operates across thousands of compatible devices and offers movies, television series and live sports alongside rental, purchase and add-on subscription options.
For Canadian viewers, Prime Video’s sports offering includes NHL, NBA, WNBA and PWHL programming. Customers can also access additional streaming subscriptions through the platform, including services such as Apple TV+, BritBox, Crave, Citytv+, Paramount+, Sportsnet, STACKTV, STARZ and TSN.
The platform is also continuing to use recognizable intellectual property and established fan communities to support its entertainment pipeline. Popular novels provide streaming services with existing audiences while creating opportunities to introduce the underlying books to new readers following a film or television release.
Global Streaming Premiere Scheduled for September 23
With its combination of academic competition, friendship and romantic comedy, The Love Hypothesis is positioned to appeal both to readers familiar with Hazelwood’s novel and viewers encountering the story for the first time.
The film’s global streaming release also gives the property considerably wider reach than its original publishing audience, with Prime Video making the adaptation available across its international markets.
The Love Hypothesis will stream globally on Prime Video beginning September 23.