The Happy Place movie could be Emily Henry’s most star-studded adaptation yet.
That’s saying a lot, considering People We Meet on Vacation was brought to life by Tom Blyth and breakout talent Emily Bader, while Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor is set to lead the upcoming adaptation of Beach Read. And yet, the star power behind Happy Place goes much deeper than its cast, which has yet to be announced.
In June 2025, Henry confirmed reports that Jennifer Lopez signed on to produce a Netflix series based on her fourth romance novel, Happy Place. And while that series has since been switched to a movie, Lopez’s involvement in the project has not changed. Meanwhile, Henry is getting more involved than ever, taking on a brand new role after serving as an executive producer of PWMOV.
Here’s everything we know about the sinema adaptation, from fake-dating tropes to a rumored Heated Rivalry crossover.
What is Happy Place about?
Released in 2023, Happy Place is a New York Times best-seller that tackles the fake-dating trope with a bit of a twist. Without spoiling too much, we can tell you that Harriet and Wyn are considered the perfect couple among their best friends, who have no idea the pair have been broken up for six months. The ex-betrothed decide to keep up the ruse during their friend group’s annual trip to a cottage in Maine, so you can only imagine the romantic hijinks that ensue.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Amazon
Who is Emily Henry?
Emily Henry is a 35-year-old romance writer who’s penned six best-selling adult-romance novels over the past five years, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and sparking multiple Hollywood deals. The same day People We Meet on Vacation premiered on Netflix, it was announced that the streamer would be adding Funny Story and Happy Place to its Emily Henry cinematic universe. This time, however, the scripts would be written by Henry herself.
“I genuinely couldn’t be more excited to work on the adaptations of Happy Place and Funny Story with Netflix,” Henry says, per the Netflix editorial website Tudum. “The entire team there has been so passionate about, dedicated to, and supportive of People We Meet on Vacation from the jump, and getting to do it all over again—this time writing the scripts myself—has been a thrill. I feel so lucky to have found this home for these films, among people who believe deeply in the necessity and power of this kind of story.”
Who else is working behind the scenes?
Lopez is still producing the project for her production company, Nuyorican, alongside Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. A director has yet to be announced.
Who has been cast in Happy Place?
Back when the project was still slated to become a TV series, Henry confirmed they’d be looking for “actors in their late 20s to early 30s.” That’s all we’ve heard about the cast so far, though the rumor mill has been churning.
One name that has popped up is Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams. Fans have been discussing the possibility since early January, when Lopez and Henry began following Williams on Instagram. Williams has since followed Lopez back, though he doesn’t seem to follow Henry as of March 7.
X content
That’s hardly confirmation, though Lopez did not exactly shut down the ongoing rumors during a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight.
She acted shocked to learn they were following each other on Instagram, exclaiming that her kids “would die” over the news and had previously asked her to “stalk” the Heated Rivalry cast at the 2026 Golden Globes. And while she denied meeting either Williams or his costar Connor Storrie, she didn’t seem completely mühlet.
“Wait did I?” she asked herself. “No, I didn’t. I have not. No…because I forget everything so it doesn’t matter.” When asked if she would team up with Williams, she quickly replied with a good old Hollywood “maybe.” Watch for yourself here.
Is there a Happy Place release date?
Netflix has not announced the release date or production schedule for Happy Place. In fact, I’d wager Funny Story will come out first, as Netflix shared a photo of Henry holding up the script this January.
This article will be updated.
