On October 13, fans of Meg Ryan’s romantic comedy films were eagerly anticipating her return to the big screen with her new holiday-set feature, What Happens Later. However, their excitement was short-lived as Taylor Swift’s concert movie, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, took over the release date. As a result, What Happens Later’s release has been pushed back to November 3, the last weekend of Swift’s concert movie. Will the Swifties’ interest shift from the concert to Ryan’s film? Only time will tell.
A Snowed-In Reunion
What Happens Later revolves around the story of Willa (played by Meg Ryan) and Bill (played by David Duchovny), ex-lovers who unexpectedly cross paths when they find themselves stranded at an airport overnight due to a snowstorm. The film, directed by Ryan herself, marks her second directorial feature after Ithaca in 2015. With this new project, Ryan hopes to make a triumphant return to the realm of romantic comedies, dubbing it the “#Megaissance.”
Meg Ryan’s Box Office Success
While Ryan’s highest-grossing film is the action-packed Top Gun, which raked in $357 million worldwide, her romantic comedies with Tom Hanks, You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, claim the second and third spots on her box office success list. You’ve Got Mail garnered $251 million globally, while Sleepless in Seattle followed closely behind with $228 million. Ryan’s talent in the romcom genre has not gone unnoticed, as she received three Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress in a Comedy Musical for You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and When Harry Met Sally… in 1990.
Taylor Swift’s concert movie is projected to have a massive opening weekend, with industry experts estimating it to gross over $70 million between October 13 and 15. This massive release has caused several other films to shift their release dates, including The Exorcist: Believer (moved to October 6) and Ordinary Angels (now with an undetermined release date). The presence of Swift’s concert movie has created a shift in the film industry, leaving filmmakers eager to see if the Swifties’ fanaticism will extend beyond the musical realm.
Despite the setback caused by Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, Meg Ryan’s What Happens Later remains highly anticipated by fans of the romantic comedy genre. The new November 3 release date offers the film a chance to reach an audience that may have already exhausted their excitement for Swift’s concert movie. Ryan’s return to the romantic comedy genre as an actress and director promises to be a delightful experience for fans eager to see her trademark charm and wit on the silver screen once again.
The shift caused by Taylor Swift’s concert movie has caused Meg Ryan’s What Happens Later to change its release date. However, the anticipation surrounding Ryan’s return to the romantic comedy genre is still strong. Fans of Ryan’s previous box office hits and lovers of the romcom genre in general eagerly await the release of What Happens Later on November 3. Will it be a successful comeback for Ryan? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: the magic of Meg Ryan’s romcoms will never go out of style.