Per Deadline, Yulin Kuang has been tapped to direct the film adaptation of Emily Henry‘s popular novel Beach Read for 20th Century Studios. Original Film is also producing, while Kuang will adapt the screenplay as well.
Henry’s novel revolves around January Andrews, a successful romance novel writer struggling after the death of her father and the discovery that he was having an affair. While living in his old beach house to prepare to sell it, she runs into Augustus Everett, her former rival in college and now an acclaimed literary fiction author.
The two reconnect and bond over struggling with writer’s block, and challenge each other to spend the summer writing a novel in each other’s genres. Unsurprisingly, sparks begin to fly.
Kuang’s involvement with the project makes all the sense in the world, as she’s already recently adapted another Henry novel, the bestselling People We Meet on Vacation, for 3000 Pictures. That one is currently in pre-production with Brett Haley (Hearts Beat Loud) attached to direct.
This news also arrives just a week after another Henry adaptation was reported to be in the works. Book Lovers, another of her romantic bestsellers, is being adapted into a film by Sarah Hayward (Girls). Henry’s latest novel, Happy Place, is due out later this month, so look for that to be potentially optioned for an adaptation too.
Kuang herself recently secured a three-book, seven-figure deal at Avon after a six-way auction for her debut novel Good in a Room, which will be published in February 2024. So she’s clearly got a host of experience with writing novels and adapting them for the big screen.
Now we wait and see who will sign on for the roles in front of the camera. With the romantic comedy having a bit of a mini-resurgence, many actors will likely jump at the chance to get involved with the adaptation of one of the most beloved romance novels of the past few years.
#Peace.Love.BeachRead
