Josh O’Connor’s upcoming gay romance movie just enlisted the help of some major musical star power

If bingeing all of season two of Heartstopper the day it dropped on Netflix left you wanting for more, never fear: There’s another queer, British coming-of-age tale headed your way—and it’s got some serious star power behind it!

Premiering next month at the long-running BFI Film Festival in London is Bonus Track, an original romantic-comedy with a musical twist that’ll hit you right in the feels.

Directed by Julia Jackman, the 2006-set story centers on 16-year-old George Bobbin (1917‘s Joe Anders) who is so obsessed with music that he’s basically got a one-track mind: He just wants to become the world’s biggest pop star.

Realistically, though, the socially awkward teen should probably just focus on the immediate: His school’s upcoming talent show. If only someone could believe in George as much as he does…

Enter, Max (Game Of Thrones‘ Samuel Paul Small), a charming new student who just so happens to be the son of one of the world’s most successful music duos! The two bond over their deep appreciation for music, and Max even agrees to help George write a new song for the talent show. As they work together, the gradually come to realize the real prize isn’t winning the competition but what they’ve found in each other.

Not unlike Heartstopper, our romantic leads are played by a pair of relatively unknown actors who we’re eager to see more from—if the film gets even a quarter of the buzz the Netflix series received, Joe Anders and Samuel Paul Small will be household names in no time.

Meanwhile, Bonus Track‘s two biggest names are behind the scenes.

For one, the film was actually co-created by Josh O’Connor, the British actor best known for playing a young Prince Charles on The Crown and starring opposite Zendaya in the upcoming tennis love triangle drama Challengers. Of course, many queer audiences will also reognize him as one of the leads of the sexually explicit God’s Own Country, where he played a young farmer who rolls around in the hay with a migrant worker.

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O’Connor will appear in a small supporting role in the film—the nature of which is yet to be revealed—but even more significant is that this is the actor’s first major writing credit, having conceived of the story idea for screenwriter Michael Gilbert.

The project’s other marquee name is Olly Alexander, the queer actor (It’s A Sin) and pop star behind the band Years & Years, who serves as one of its executive producers.

Most recently, Deadline announced Alexander had penned an original song for Bonus Track, which may or may not appear as the number characters George and Max write together in the film. Either way, it’ll be part of a soundtrack reportedly filled with “2000s indie bangers.”

can’t WAIT for you to see this gorgeous movie and my gorgeous song ? https://t.co/60c5heoVRL

— olly alexander (@alexander_olly) September 8, 2023

Sounds like Alexander has cooked up something quite special for this one!

Bonus Track‘s supporting cast is rounded out with Smash‘s Jack Davenport, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them‘s Alison Sudol, An Education‘s Ellie Kendrick, Chewing Gum‘s Susan Wokoma, Colette‘s Ray Panthaki, and longtime EastEnders mainstay Nina Wadia as the headmistress as George and Max’s school.

The rom-com is set to make its world premiere at the BFI Film Fest on October 5, and then slated to air on Sky Cinema at a later date for U.K. audiences. Details for a stateside release are yet to be announced, but stay tuned!

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