Netflix’s Romance Movie Success: A Lesson for Hollywood

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The popularity of Netflix hits like People We Meet on Vacation and Me Before You offers a valuable lesson for Hollywood about romantic movies. Both films share common traits: they feature actors known from The Hunger Games—Tom Blyth in People We Meet on Vacation and Sam Claflin in Me Before You—and are adapted from popular novels by bestselling authors Emily Henry and Jojo Moyes.

Despite their different styles, both films are incredibly popular on Netflix. People We Meet on Vacation is light and cheerful, while Me Before You is deeply moving and sad. It’s clear that romance is what audiences want right now, and Hollywood should take notice.

People We Meet On Vacation & Me Before You Are Netflix’s Top 2 Movies

Viewers on Netflix are loving both People We Meet on Vacation and Me Before You, currently ranking as the platform’s most popular movies at No. 1 and No. 2 worldwide (according to Flix Patrol). While People We Meet on Vacation‘s recent release on January 9th likely contributes to its popularity, there’s clearly something extra that’s capturing audiences’ attention.

“People We Meet on Vacation” is a romantic comedy about two best friends, Poppy and Alex, who realize their feelings for each other are more than platonic. Every summer, they take a trip together, but this year, their long-standing tradition is complicated by newfound romantic tension. The film is also special as it’s the first screen adaptation of a novel by popular BookTok author Emily Henry, who actively helped promote the movie.

I was really surprised to see Me Before You hitting number two on Netflix’s top 10! It’s a movie from way back – it originally came out in June 2016. It tells the story of Lou, a caregiver, and how she connects with Will, her wealthy client who is paralyzed and has decided he wants to end his life with assisted suicide. While it’s not a brand new release, it is new to Netflix in a lot of countries, having just landed on the platform on January 1st.

Despite several new Hollywood releases also appearing on Netflix, Me Before You continues to be a popular choice. Although it’s not currently available on Netflix in the US (you can find it on MGM+), it quickly became a top title on Prime Video when it was added last year. It’s clear that romantic movies are trending among streaming viewers.

Hollywood Needs To Bring Romance Back Into Movie Theaters

As a total movie fanatic, I’ve been paying attention, and the way both People We Meet on Vacation and Me Before You blew up on Netflix – even though they’re totally different kinds of romance and came out years apart – really tells me something. It’s a clear sign to Hollywood that people want to see romance movies on the big screen, and they’ll actually show up!

With a growing number of films debuting directly on streaming services instead of in theaters, romance movies seem to be missing out on the big-screen experience. Many recent popular romantic films are now exclusively released on platforms like Netflix.

While romance movies might not have the huge special effects or action of big blockbusters, going to the cinema is about more than just explosions and car chases. It’s about sharing an experience with others – like laughing together at a funny moment, or feeling the joy of a first kiss or a romantic gesture, such as Mr. Darcy’s subtle movements in Pride & Prejudice.

Romance movie lovers are best experiencing these films together, in a theater. Despite recent struggles at the box office, romantic comedies actually do well in cinemas. For example, the 2023 film Anyone But You, starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, earned over $220 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo), proving their appeal on the big screen.

Similar to People We Meet on Vacation, Anyone But You is another romantic comedy set during a destination wedding. Given Emily Henry’s widespread appeal and the film’s beautiful scenery, People We Meet on Vacation might have also been a hit in theaters if it had been released there.

The film Me Before You was a major success, earning over $208 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. While that was a decade ago, and a lot has changed in Hollywood since then, it’s no surprise that Me Before You consistently ranks among the most popular movies on streaming services, demonstrating that audiences still love romantic films like it.

There’s Still Hope For Future Emily Henry Adaptations

Daniel Escale/Netflix

Although People We Meet on Vacation didn’t get a wide theatrical release, it could offer valuable insights for future film adaptations of Emily Henry’s novels. Luckily, Netflix plans to adapt two more of her books: Happy Place and Funny Story.

Okay, so I just heard about this movie, Happy Place, and the premise is really interesting. It’s a second-chance romance about Harriet and Wyn – they’re exes who fake being a couple for one last summer getaway with their friend group at a beach house in Maine. Apparently, it was originally planned as a TV show, but now it’s being made into a film, and Jennifer Lopez’s production company, Nuyorican, is behind it. Sounds like a fun, slightly messy summer watch, honestly!

Both Funny Story and another unnamed film are using the popular “fake dating” storyline. In Funny Story, librarian Daphne pretends to date Miles after they’re both left by their significant others, who end up together. Currently, neither movie has revealed who will be starring in it.

In addition to the Netflix series based on her book, People We Meet on Vacation, Yulin Kuang will write and direct the movie adaptation of Emily Henry’s first novel, Beach Read. Beach Read is a romantic story about January, a romance author, and Everett, a celebrated literary writer, who unexpectedly fall in love while spending the summer next door to each other at beach houses on Lake Michigan.

I’m so excited to hear that Emily Henry’s Book Lovers is getting adapted! It’s such a fun enemies-to-lovers story about Nora, a literary agent, who keeps running into Charlie, a book editor, while on vacation. Apparently, Tango is producing it and Sarah Heyward, who wrote for Girls, is working on the screenplay. I can’t wait to see it!

Netflix will probably release Happy Place and Funny Story directly on their streaming service, similar to how they handled People We Meet on Vacation. However, other upcoming movie adaptations should pay attention to the success of the 2026 film. There’s clearly an audience for these stories, and fans of romance novels would love to see them brought to life in theaters.

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2026-01-13 03:00