A fake kiss in a Stanford hallway leads to something much bigger in The Love Hypothesis, the film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel. Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman lead this romantic comedy about a PhD student and a professor who pretend to date, only to find themselves caught in real feelings. The film arrives on Prime Video on September 23, 2026, and reviews suggest it is a cozy, easy watch with strong chemistry between its leads.
What The Love Hypothesis Is About
Olive Smith (Lili Reinhart) is a third-year PhD candidate at Stanford researching pancreatic cancer. Her best friend Anh (Rachel Marsh) has fallen for Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay), the guy Olive used to have a crush on. To convince Anh that she has moved on, Olive lies about having a boyfriend. When Anh nearly catches her in the lie, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees in the hallway — Dr. Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman), a biology professor known around campus as “Dr. Evil” for his harsh demeanor.
Adam surprisingly agrees to keep up the fake relationship. For him, having a serious girlfriend could help convince Stanford that he is not planning to leave, which matters because millions in research funding are on the line. For Olive, it solves her friendship problem. The plan is simple: staged dates, some public hand-holding, and just enough chemistry to make the lie believable. But the line between pretending and actually falling for each other starts to blur.
Cast and Characters
Lili Reinhart plays Olive Smith with an awkwardness that feels natural rather than exaggerated. The film shows her as a researcher who is genuinely overwhelmed by the pressures of academia, self-doubt, and the constant need to prove herself.
Tom Bateman plays Dr. Adam Carlsen as intimidating at first glance but with a vulnerable side that becomes clearer as the story moves forward. His performance has been praised for balancing the character’s cold exterior with warmth underneath.
The supporting cast includes Rachel Marsh as Anh, Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy, Jaboukie Young-White as Malcolm, and Arty Froushan in a key role.
The Book Behind the Film
The Love Hypothesis was published in 2021 and became a New York Times bestseller. The story began as Star Wars fan fiction about the Rey and Kylo Ren pairing, known online as “Reylo,” published to Archive of Our Own in 2018. Ali Hazelwood later reworked the fan fiction into an original romance novel.
The book has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, turning Hazelwood into a well-known name in romance publishing.
Casting Tom Bateman as Adam Carlsen has added an extra layer for longtime fans. Bateman is married to Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The film includes small nods to its fan fiction roots, including music cues that reference the original inspiration.
What Critics Are Saying
Reviews for The Love Hypothesis have been mostly positive, with praise for the casting and the handling of the fake-dating trope.
Hindustan Times rated the film 3.5 out of 5, calling it “sharp, hilariously awkward, and scientifically engineered to make your heart race.” The review noted that the film is “peak comfort cinema” and praised the “molecularly perfect casting” of the two leads.
Variety India wrote that the film “does a near-perfect job of adapting the source material” and highlighted how it develops Olive as a character and shows the friendship between Olive and Anh. The review also noted that the film takes time to build the relationship, which helps sell the premise.
Collider called it a “near-perfect rom-com experiment.”
Some reviews pointed out a missing element. Mashable wrote that the film is “missing one key ingredient that would truly make its experiment stick the landing: yearning.” The review explained that while the film is fun and the leads have chemistry, it does not spend enough time building the slow-burn tension that made the book so popular.
TechRadar offered a more mixed take, saying the film is “mostly mediocre despite the hot hotel room scene” and argued that the strongest relationship in the film is between Olive and Anh rather than Olive and Adam.
Fan Reactions to the Adaptation
Reactions from book fans have been largely positive. The first trailer, released in July 2026, drew praise for staying close to the source material. Fans pointed to the push-pull dynamic between Olive and Adam and the awkward intimacy that feels true to the book.
“ROMCOMS ARE SO BACK. y’all seriously this movie is phenomenal and had me laughing and crying and screaming and i loved every minute of it book lovers you’ll definitely be pleased!!” — a fan who saw an early screening, via Yahoo
Casting was a major talking point. Fans on social media called the leads “charismatic and charming.” One Reddit user wrote, “I like the casting. Both leads are charismatic and charming.”
The film also earned approval from Ali Hazelwood herself. Lili Reinhart told People that Hazelwood’s support meant a lot to the cast.
“She’s really showing so much love for the film and we’re so grateful for that.” — Lili Reinhart to People
How to Watch The Love Hypothesis
The Love Hypothesis premieres on Prime Video on September 23, 2026. The film will be available to stream in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For viewers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and other global markets, the film will be available on Prime Video from the release date. A Prime Video subscription is required to watch.
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Production Details
Claire Scanlon directed the film from a screenplay by Sarah Rothschild. Elizabeth Cantillon produced the project. The film was shot in Montreal, with some reshoots taking place in Los Angeles.
The film is based on Hazelwood’s novel, which itself grew from a fan fiction story posted online in 2018. The journey from fan fiction to published novel to major streaming release has made The Love Hypothesis one of the most closely watched book-to-screen adaptations in recent years.
Also Read: Prime Video’s The Love Hypothesis Gets Early Screenings Ahead of September 23 Release
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