Summary
- Meg Ryan makes her return to the romantic comedy genre alongside David Duchovny in the first trailer for What Happens Later.
- The film, which is an evolved and nostalgic take on the rom-com, is based on the play Shooting Star and is directed by Ryan herself.
- What Happens Later is set to be released on October 13, 2023.
Queen of the romantic comedy, Meg Ryan, returns to the genre alongside The X-Files star David Duchovny in the first trailer for What Happens Later. Released courtesy of Bleecker Street, What Happens Later finds Ryan and Duchovny as exes who find themselves stranded at an airport during a blizzard. What entails is all the comedy and romance that audiences love to see from a rom-com headlined by Ryan. Check out the first trailer for What Happens Later below.
“Two ex lovers, Bill (David Duchovny) and Willa (Meg Ryan) get snowed in at a regional airport overnight. Indefinitely delayed, Willa, a magical thinker, and Bill, a catastrophic one, find themselves just as attracted to and annoyed by one another as they did decades earlier,” the official synopsis for What Happens Later reads. “But as they unpack the riddle of their mutual past and compare their lives to the dreams they once shared, they begin to wonder if their reunion is mere coincidence, or something more enchanted.”
Ryan will direct and act alongside David Duchovny in the upcoming film, which has been described as an "evolved and nostalgic" take on the romantic comedy. What Happens Later is based on the play Shooting Star, which was created by playwright Steven Dietz. Additionally, he wrote the movie adaptation's screenplay along with Ryan and playwright and novelist Kirk Lynn. Bleeker Street gained the American rights to the upcoming title some time ago, with HanWay Films, a London-based sales agent will take over the international distribution. Sales began at the Cannes Film Festival last year and production took place in 2022 in Bentonville, Arkansas.
The crew is excited to be working on What Happens Later. Producers for the motion picture said:
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have the incredible teams at Bleecker Street and HanWay alongside us as we bring this special story to the screen. We believe it’s a look at life and love that audiences the world over will relate to and hunger for in these uncertain times when connection and reconciliation feel more important than ever.”
Andrew Karpen, the CEO of Bleeker Street explained:
“To be part of this team, bringing such a popular play to the big screen is a genuine privilege. We are beyond fortunate that the project is in the hands of one of the most gifted romantic comedy actors of her generation. Combined with the talent of her co-stars and producers, we are honored to be on this journey and look forward to sharing the experience with audiences next year.”
The project is produced by Independent Spirit Award winners Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams (“Sorry to Bother You,” “I Used to Go Here”) through their Ten Acre Films, Independent Spirit Award nominee Laura D. Smith (“I’ll See You In My Dreams”), and Kristin Mann (“The Quarry”). Kerri Elder and Blake Elder of Rockhill Studios will be executive producers, as well as Bleecker Street’s Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson.
What Happens Later Will Mark Meg Ryan's Second Time in the Director's Chair
What Happens Later will mark Meg Ryan's second time in the director's chair. Previously, she directed and acted in the 2015 drama Ithica. Additional stars for that project included the late Sam Shephard and Alex Neustaedter. Meg Ryan is widely regarded as one of the best rom-com actresses of all time. Some classics she starred in include Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless in Seattle, French Kiss, You've Got Mail, and Kate & Leopold.
The film's logline reads, "What if late one snowy night you came face to face with someone from your long ago? Someone who once held your secrets, because once, long ago, that person held your heart," while an earlier, longer outline reveals more plot details.
"The movie follows ex-lovers Willa (Ryan) and Bill (Duchovny) who are reunited for the first time since their split decades prior when they both find themselves snowed in, in-transit, at an airport overnight. Willa is still the wilful, independent spirit she once was, free of any ties, while the recently separated Bill is reassessing his life and his relationships with his estranged wife and daughter. All each of them wants is to get home but over the course of the night they find themselves at first reluctantly drawn together yet compelled to revisit their past, along with what could have been and what might well be again. But when the versions of their shared history don’t quite add up, where do they go from there?"
What Happens Later is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 13, 2023.