Phoebe Dynevor to Lead Emily Henry’s ‘Beach Read’ Film

Phoebe Dynevor is heading to the beach. The Bridgerton breakout has been cast as January Andrews in the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling romance Beach Read. The project is in development at 20th Century Studios, and for romance readers, it’s one of the most anticipated adaptations in the pipeline.

Phoebe Dynevor will star as January Andrews, the once-hopeful romance novelist who no longer believes in love. She’s joined in the adaptation by writer-director Yulin Kuang, who is helming the film from her own script. Kuang previously co-wrote the screenplay for People We Meet on Vacation, another Henry hit that recently made the leap to screen.

A fan-favorite romance heads to the big screen

Published in 2020, Beach Read marked Henry’s adult rom-com debut and quickly became a #BookTok sensation. The novel follows January and her literary rival, Augustus Everett, as they spend a summer in neighboring beach houses battling writer’s block. Their solution? Swap genres. He’ll attempt something happy. She’ll try to write the next Great American Novel.

What begins as a creative experiment turns into a layered love story about grief, ambition, and the stories we tell ourselves. It’s sharp, funny, and deeply emotional — a combination that helped cement Henry as one of the defining romance voices of the decade.

The film adaptation is the second of Henry’s novels to move forward for 20th Century. Her 2021 bestseller People We Meet on Vacation also made the jump to screen, underscoring just how quickly Hollywood has embraced her backlist. Five of her six novels published since 2020 have been optioned, including Funny Story, Happy Place, and Book Lovers.

Yulin Kuang brings a reader-first vision

Kuang has spoken about her connection to Henry’s characters, especially the aloof, emotionally guarded heroes that populate her books. She has described diving deeply into Gus’s perspective while developing the script, teasing a take that feels both faithful and distinct.

Production details remain under wraps, and no release date has been announced. If the timeline mirrors other recent adaptations — from Henry’s own projects to splashy literary deals like Margot Robbie’s bold new Wuthering Heights film — fans may need to wait a little while before January and Gus hit theaters.

Still, with Dynevor stepping into January’s sandals and Kuang steering the ship, Beach Read is shaping up to be essential viewing for romance readers. Summer might be a season away, but for Emily Henry fans, the countdown starts now.