Emily Henry's Beach Read Enters Pre-Production
Emily Henry's bestselling novel "Beach Read" has entered pre-production for a film adaptation. The romantic comedy novel, which spent weeks on bestseller lists, follows two rival writers who challenge each other to write outside their comfort zones during a summer at the beach.
- The film adaptation is in the hands of Yulin Kuang, who is not only directing but also wrote the screenplay. Kuang also co-wrote the screen adaptation of another of Henry's popular novels, "People We Meet on Vacation." - *Bridgerton* star Phoebe Dynevor has been cast as the film's lead, romance author January Andrews. As of late February 2026, the role of her rival, Augustus "Gus" Everett, had not yet been publicly announced. - The movie is being developed by 20th Century Studios. Neal H. Moritz is a producer on the project, and Karina Rahardja is attached as an executive producer. - This is not the only Emily Henry novel getting a screen adaptation; "People We Meet on Vacation" was recently released, and adaptations of "Book Lovers," "Funny Story," and "Happy Place" are also in the works. - Emily Henry herself is set to executive produce and has praised Kuang's vision for the film, noting that her script feels "really different and special." - The novel "Beach Read" was Emily Henry's debut in adult fiction and quickly became a bestseller, contributing to her more than 2.5 million collective book sales as of April 2023.
