Lovers of young adult (YA) romance novels win again as Netflix on Saturday named Beatrice Kitsos and David Iacono as the leading stars for the film adaptation of Lynn Painter’s bestselling work Better Than the Movies.
YA romance enthusiasts have been buzzing since the adaptation was announced on May 5, particularly around who will play fan-favourite characters Liz Buxbaum and Wes Bennett – and whether the accuracy of the casting will live up to the expectations set by the highly praised novel.
The unveiled main cast now marks a step closer to bringing the BookTok sensation to the screen.
Dream team behind adaptation
Known for her role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Kitsos will take on the role of Liz, whose love for classic romantic comedies heavily influences her view on romance and relationships, making her a hopeless romantic for longtime crush Michael.
Liz’s witty next-door neighbour Wes will be played by Iacono, whose recent screen appearances include Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) and the hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022 to 2025).
Wes makes it his mission to help Liz end up with her dream boy despite their ‘cat and dog’ dynamic, only to be challenged later by feelings for someone else he did not know he had.
Netflix confirmed filmmaker Julia Hart as the director of the feature in May.
Furthermore, it was detailed that Hart’s regular creative partner and husband, Jordan Horowitz, participated in co-writing the screenplay together with Heather Flanders.
The streaming giant also confirmed Horowitz as a producer of the adaptation.
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BookTok phenomenon hits Netflix
Better Than the Movies has been dubbed a good read by many YA fans for its well-delivered nostalgia and cute banter since being published in 2021.
But it was BookTok’s strong promotion that helped it gain renewed popularity.
The romantic comedy centres on high school senior Liz, who seeks Wes’s assistance in catching the eye of her childhood crush, only to realise that genuine romance does not always flow serendipitously like the stories in her favourite movies.
Its success as a number one New York Times bestseller later prompted the release of its sequel, Nothing Like the Movies, in 2024.
A related report from Reel Chicago cited that Netflix will commence filming from September through October at The Fields Studios in Chicago, with the actual release date yet to be announced.
Nonetheless, the reveal of its main actors indicates the project’s progress as Netflix continues broadening its roster of adaptations from chart-topping romance novels.
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