Directed by Claire Scanlon, The Love Hypothesis is an American rom-com film, based on Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel of the same name. The book spent 40 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list after its 2021 debut.
Lili Reinhart plays Olive, a PhD student who kisses the most intimidating professor on campus just to prove a point to her best friend. Tom Bateman plays Adam, the professor who agrees to play along. What starts as a fake arrangement slowly starts to feel very, very real.
If you are a longtime fan or just finding out about Olive and Adam for the first time, here is everything you need to know before you press play.
What is The Love Hypothesis?
The Love Hypothesis is a fake-dating romance set in the world of academia.
Olive Smith is a third-year biology PhD candidate at Stanford University. Her best friend, Anh, has feelings for Olive’s former crush, Jeremy. To make Anh feel free to pursue him, Olive needs to prove she has moved on.
Her plan? Impulsively kiss the nearest person. That person happens to be Dr. Adam Carlsen, the most feared professor in the department.
But one kiss leads to more. Adam has his own reason to play along. Stanford may cut his research funding because he looks like a flight risk. Having a steady girlfriend changes that image. So the two agree: a fake relationship, no real feelings, clear boundaries.
Of course, feelings have other plans.
Where to watch The Love Hypothesis?
You can watch The Love Hypothesis exclusively on Prime Video. The highly anticipated film adaptation premieres globally on September 23, 2026
| Release date | September 23, 2026 |
| Platform | Amazon Prime Video |
Is it free?
Prime Video comes with an Amazon Prime membership. In the US, that costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year. Non-members can rent or buy titles separately through the Prime Video Store.
Is it in cinemas?
The film is primarily a streaming release. Some limited theatrical options may be available depending on your region.
Is it on Netflix?
No. The Love Hypothesis is exclusive to Prime Video, but the recent thriller The Crash and the comedy series North of North are available on Netflix.
Full Cast of The Love Hypothesis (2026)
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Lili Reinhart | Olive Smith |
| Tom Bateman | Dr. Adam Carlsen |
| Rachel Marsh | Anh |
| Nicholas Duvernay | Jeremy |
| Jaboukie Young-White | Malcolm |
| Arty Froushan | Tom |
| Jeananne Goossen | Dr. Aslan |
| Kenny Wong | McConnell |
| Alexandra Petrachuk | Natalie |
| Aladeen Tawfeek | Dr. Fastuca |
| Aadi Maaj | Dr. Sethi |
| Amber Jonas | Jamie |
| Ines Feghouli | Rosa |
| Laura Paolillo | Drunk Ava |
| Michael McNally-Sylla | Referee Jackson |
| Mariz Canet Reyes | College Student |
| Emily Lê | Shouting Student |
Director: Claire Scanlon (Set It Up, People We Hate at the Wedding)
Screenplay: Sarah Rothschild (The Sleepover)
Producer: Elizabeth Cantillon
Executive Producers: Lili Reinhart, Catherine Hagedorn, Ali Hazelwood
Studio: Amazon MGM Studios / MRC
About the Lead Actors
Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith
Reinhart is best known for playing Betty Cooper on Riverdale. She also serves as executive producer on this film. She has spoken openly about the role being outside her usual genre and has shared extensive behind-the-scenes footage on TikTok throughout filming. Filming wrapped in September 2025.
Tom Bateman as Dr. Adam Carlsen
Tom Bateman has appeared in Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express. He was cast as the brooding, grumpy professor Adam Carlsen. Bateman has said the book was kept front and centre throughout filming to preserve the spirit of the story. In a fun bit of real-life trivia: Bateman is married to Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in Star Wars. The book was originally a Rey and Kylo Ren fan fiction. That means the actor cast as Adam in the movie adaptation is married to the woman who inspired the character. Full circle.
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The Origin of the Book (And Why It Matters)
Author Ali Hazelwood originally wrote this story in 2018 under the title Head Over Feet. It was a Star Wars fan fiction based on Rey and Kylo Ren (the “Reylo” pairing). Hazelwood later reworked it into an original contemporary romance, changed the characters’ names to Olive Smith and Adam Carlsen, and removed all Star Wars references.
The name “Adam” is even a nod to Adam Driver, who played Kylo Ren.
Hazelwood published the novel in September 2021 through Berkley Books. It spent 10 months on the New York Times Best Seller list and has been sold in over 40 countries. It became one of the most-read books on BookTok.
Movie rights were first acquired in October 2022 by Bisous Pictures. Amazon MGM Studios later came on board to produce and distribute the film.
How does the movie differ from the book?
This is the question every book fan has been asking. Here is what we know so far.
The author confirmed changes are coming.
Ali Hazelwood addressed this directly at a book event. She acknowledged that the film will not follow the book page-for-page, as books and films are different media. However, she expressed full trust in the creative team and said she was excited to see their take.
Key book scenes ARE in the movie.
The trailer confirms several beloved moments made it to the screen. These include:
- The first impulsive kiss that starts everything
- The sunscreen scene, where Olive rubs sunscreen on a shirtless Adam’s back
- The hotel room scene, which fans of the book already know is Chapter 16 territory
Lili Reinhart even addressed the Chapter 16 hype directly in a TikTok, acknowledging fans’ hopes about that specific moment.
The adaptation leans into the same core story.
The film keeps Stanford as the setting and retains the same setup: Olive needs Anh to think she has moved on, Adam needs Stanford to think he is committed. The fake relationship becomes real. The science backdrop stays.
The tone looks faithful.
Tom Bateman has said the book was “always front and center” during production. The goal was to make sure the spirit of the source material came through, even if specific scenes or subplots are condensed or adjusted.
What might differ:
Based on what is confirmed and what the trailer shows, the film appears to streamline the plot for a general audience. Some subplots from the book, such as deeper exploration of Olive’s research and certain academic conflicts, may be simplified. Exact confirmed changes will only be fully visible once the film releases on September 23.
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What fans are saying?
Reactions to the trailer have been enthusiastic across social media. Many fans have noted the chemistry between Reinhart and Bateman. The hotel room scene teaser in particular sparked a large wave of responses, with viewers referencing Chapter 16 immediately.
Some book fans have compared the anticipated film to other beloved romance adaptations and have placed high expectations on it. The general sentiment is excitement mixed with the usual caution that comes with any beloved book getting a screen adaptation.
The author herself approved of the cast, saying of the actors: “Oh my God, yeah. They’re amazing.”
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