The adaptation of bestselling romance author Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, has just cast its male lead, and the choice will likely please Reylo’s most fervent shippers. Many writers get their start in fanfiction, as it’s a great way to develop the craft. One such writer is Ali Hazelwood, whose debut romance novel, The Love Hypothesis, famously began as Reylo fanfiction.

For the uninitiated, Reylo is the official fandom name for the fictional relationship between the Star Wars sequel trilogy’s Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who are enemies turned allies turned “blink-and-you-miss-it” lovers. Hazelwood has since stepped away from the galaxy far, far, away (that we know of, at least); most of her novels, including The Love Hypothesis, are categorized as STEM romances.

It was previously announced that Riverdale‘s Lili Reinhart would be taking on The Love Hypothesis’ female lead role as Olive Smith, a third-year PhD candidate who trips into a fake relationship with a tyrannical professor known as Dr. Adam Carlsen. ᴅᴇᴀᴅline has now revealed that Tom Bateman (Murder on the Orient Express, Based on a True Story) has been cast as Adam.

Bateman’s casting is noteworthy for one very particular reason: the British actor is married to Star Wars star Daisy Ridley, one-half of that all-consuming Reylo ship. While this is likely just a coincidence, as Bateman is a talented actor and will no doubt be great in the role, it’s still an ingenious move.

What This Means For The Love Hypothesis

Fans Have Been Losing It On Social Media

The Love Hypothesis certainly isn’t the only major traditionally published novel to have its roots in fanfiction. E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey was originally conceived as Twilight fanfiction. Author Thea Guanzon’s bestselling romantasy novel, The Hurricane Wars, also had a past life as a piece of Reylo fanfiction, attracting the attention of a publisher (via Mashable).

While some readers, especially those unmoved by The Love Hypothesis’ complicated fandom origins, won’t be as tickled by the news, those in the know have been having an absolute field day on social media.

X user @yeonbinsgurl wrote, “The concept of playing the love interest in fanfiction about your wife is kind of insane, I think Tom Bateman won in life.”

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X user @neon_heartbeart commented, “This is the funniest thing that has ever happened in any fandom ever from the beginning of time. This is like if Robert Pattinson’s girlfriend got cast as [Fifty Shades of Grey’s] Anastasia Steele.” There are hundreds more reactions just like those.

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Our Take On The Love Hypothesis Adaptation

This Is An Exciting Time For Romance Fans

While the casting news for The Love Hypothesis is undeniably fascinating, I’m even more intrigued by the movie’s choice of director. According to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Set It Up‘s Claire Scanlon has been tapped to direct Hazelwood’s first movie adaptation.

Set It Up is one of Netflix’s best and most rewatchable romantic comedies. If Scanlon can capture the same kind of chemistry between Bateman and Reinhart as Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch had in Set It Up, The Love Hypothesis will surely be a winner.

Romance novel adaptations, whether they be historical, contemporary, or romantasy, have never been more popular than they are now. Between The Love Hypothesis, Bridgerton, Emily Henry’s cinematic universe, Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, Callie Hart’s seven-figure Quicksilver adaptation, Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series, and more, there’s arguably never been a better time to be a romance reader and avid movie and TV fan.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline