Franchise films have dominated box offices for the past 20 years, but rom-coms are on their way back.
Romantic comedies have long been a divisive genre. They’re fun, cheesy, comforting, but certainly not serious — and they’re once again on the rise.
The trailer for Jennifer Lawrence-fronted rom-com “No Hard Feelings” premiered on March 9 and became the most-watched trailer for an original comedy in the first 24 hours with over 50 million views, reported World of Reel. In the past 20 years, rom-com production has slowed considerably due to the movies’ inability to produce the same box-office profits as franchises, such as the Marvel Studios films. But the immediate popularity of “No Hard Feelings” suggests that the genre is making a comeback.
“Coming out of the…years we've been in, I think people need a bit more lightheartedness,” actress Malin Akerman told Parade. “We need some escapism, joy, and love and romance – I can understand why [studios] are investing in that.”
Nora Ephron’s 1989 rom-com “When Harry Met Sally” is widely regarded as one of the greatest rom-com[s] of all time. But even that film didn’t beat out the franchise films of the year at the box office.
“When Harry Met Sally” grossed $92.8 million, but Tim Burton’s “Batman” grossed $251 million, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” grossed $197 million and “Lethal Weapon 2” grossed $147.2 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
In fact, “When Harry Met Sally” brought in only 1.2% of the total box-office gross of the year, according to Box Office Mojo.
In the past 20 years, rom-coms have faced the same competition, as audiences favor large-budget franchise films.
“Everything is a $300 million Spider-Man movie,” culture writer Scott Meslow told Refinery29. “[Rom-coms] were never going to make $1 billion worldwide…so there was a sense that they weren't serving the purpose that the studios needed them to.”
But, rom-coms have now found success on streaming services.
More than 80 million subscribers watched Netflix rom-coms during the summer of 2018, as Netflix released several originals, such as “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” “Set It Up,” “The Kissing Booth,” “Like Father” and “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser,” reported Variety.
The demand for comfort movies on streaming services also increased due to the pandemic, as Netflix’s 2020 rom-com “Holidate” had 654 million views within its first week of release, reported The Dartmouth.
In 2022, Netflix released 25 original rom-coms, compared to its eight in 2019.
The first season of “Emily in Paris” premiered on Netflix in October 2020 and had 58 million views worldwide in the first 28 days after its debut, reported Variety.
“In a world of constant bad news and unprecedented difficulties for the average working individual, “Emily in Paris” provides something that a lot of modern programming doesn’t: cheeky, lighthearted plot lines with reliable outcomes that make the viewer want to actually unwind as they watch,” reported Movie Web.
The show has now released three seasons and is confirmed for a fourth.
Rom-coms are also becoming more diverse in their attempt to revitalize themselves for modern audiences.
“The Big Sick” — starring Pakistani-American Kumail Nanjiani as himself — came out in 2017 and made $56 million on a $5 million budget, reported Parade. “Love Simon,” a rom-com about a gay teenage boy, came out in 2018 and made $66.32 million on a budget of under $20 million. Crazy Rich Asians” came out in 2018 and made $239 million — the sixth highest-grossing rom-com of all time — reported The Dartmouth.
“There's an opportunity for stories to be told,” critic Kimber Myers told Parade, “with films that represent more than just a white woman, a white man, and their meet-cute.”