BookTok’s obsession with Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue made it clear there’s no shortage of people wanting to read about the British prince and America’s first son banging (fall in love, i.e.), and now it promises to be one of the most anticipated gay movie releases of the decade.
We’re talking about Call Me By Your Name and Brokeback Mountain type of cultural impact (RIP, Bros), but for the first time, it wasn’t an artistic gamble but a demand from the 1.4 billion active users on TikTok’s literary hashtag phenomenon.
Don’t sleep on the fictional gay royal enemy-to-lovers plotline that Gen Z launched into the Hollywood limelight.
Plot summary
Tony-winner Matthew López will make his film feature debut with an adaptation based on Casey McQuiston’s book, a queer romance novel that made TikTok audiences squirt with praises.
Red, White & Royal Blue follows a forbidden romance type of vibe between the British prince and United States’ first son after a public scandal forces the enemies to pretend to be friends to save face between the nations. As you might expect, they fall in love instead and must keep it secret.
If you’re not excited yet, the film received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America for “language, some sexual content, and partial nudity.” And, seriously, hallelujah! Timothée Chamalette screwing a peach or a cannibal can only get us so far.
Cast and characters
Naturally, the casting of the fictional royal and presidential twunks getting it on was detrimental to the movie’s success. Neither actor cast as lead publicly identifies as gay, and both have been rumored to have dated former female co-stars. However, they keep mum about their intimate relationships.
Nicholas Galitzine
Nicholas, who previously starred alongside Camila Cabello in Cinderella, plays Britain’s Prince Henry. He’s no stranger to gay roles, including The Craft: Legacy in 2020 and Handsome Devil in 2016.
Taylor Zakhar Perez
Also in The Kissing Booth, Taylor takes the role of America’s first son Alex Claremont-Diaz.
“Meeting with and auditioning literally hundreds of actors over these past several months has been a painstaking labor of love that has brought us this diverse and extraordinary cast, led so fantastically by Nick and Taylor,” López told Variety. “I cannot wait for the fans of the book (and indeed for the world) to find out how remarkably gifted and perfect these two actors are for bringing Henry and Alex to life.”
Uma Thurman
The delectable star will serve as America’s first female president whose reelection depends on her son keeping it in his pants.
Other talent you might spot:
- Rachel Hilson
- Clifton Collins Jr.
- Malcolm Atobrah
- Aneesh Sheth
- Stephen Fry
- Sarah Shahi
Themes of love and acceptance
At the heart of the YA book, there are three coming-out stories. Prince Herny is gay, Alex is bisexual, and then they must tell their nations they fell in love.
Their budding forbidden romance is complicated by the fact Alex’s mom is seeking presidential reelection, and his newfound British bedmate might ruin her approval rating.
Ultimately, Red, White & Royal Blue deals with the young men’s responsibility to their nations and their right to privacy, themselves, and each other. It’s not clear just how closely the movie will resemble the book and what creative liberties it will take, surely to be criticized by TikTok.
Social media’s love affair with Red, White, and Royal Blue
Perez and Diaz promoted their chemistry when filming in June 2022, and they showcased on social media the fun dynamic between them. The internet lost it picturing the upcoming rendezvous between the hotties.
Hopefully, it remains once they start to lock lips.
ICYMI: #RWRBMovie is officially in production! You’re welcome x pic.twitter.com/ilWv1L0ddq
— Red, White & Royal Blue on Prime (@RWRBonPrime) June 21, 2022
How to stream the movie
Red, White & Royal Blue is set to be released on Amazon Prime Video on August 8, 2023. So if you’re not on the streaming service, now’s the time to create an email for another trial membership.
While you wait for its premiere date to roll around, you can play the adorable Red, White & Royal Blue trailer on repeat in the meantime:
We’re excited to watch!
Clearly, the gay film of the year has already been picked. What remains to be seen is whether it will land with audiences with such high expectations. Popularity is a double-edged sword.
However, Red, White & Royal Blue is groundbreaking in how it arrived in Hollywood, pioneered by Gen Z and their passion for queer literature.
There are so many worthy queer books to add to your shelves, and the upcoming release of this film shows that if you love something, say it! No matter how indie it might seem. That’s how unique or controversial ideas become mainstream cult staples.
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Jim
Alas, I can’t recommend the book.
Hope the movie is better
Sheppard87
The book is great for what it is. I just re-read it in prep for the movie. Its a silly rom-com of a book about two very priviledged but very different boys who are exploring what it means to be full people in that privilege when the world knows their names. Is it great classical literature? No. Is it sweet and funny and a good story? yeah, which is what it was.
Its a book about identity, both public and private, and about perception. In those ways it hugely succeeds. Plus its a really easy read so it makes for a great summer pool book.
Pietro D
LET US KNOW WHEN THE MOVIE RELEASES.
Thank You.
Jon in Canada
It’s literally in the first Pic at the top of the article. August 11th.
nm4047
You mean the date that is shown in the movie poster picture?
Louis
To be fair, Nicholas Galitzine was in “Handsome Dev” (gay storyline), Cinderella (pretty gay), a film called Bottoms (even if not lgbt the title seems interesting) and The Craft: Legacy (The Craft being enjoyed by gays due to outsiders/misfits finding their chosen family). So now doing this film; he’s pretty LGBTQ friendly.
Sheppard87
Neither have openly discussed their sexuality and we should allow them that privacy. You are correct about Galitzine that he seems to be drawn to gay or gay friendly roles, and he has done a great job in them and in the straight roles he has taken on (Purple Heart for example).
I just hope that what happened with Kit Connor, doesn’t happen with these two as they both seem lovely.
ZzBomb
Is there a trailer anywhere to be seen on this? I’ve checked youtube and amazon and nothing.
Sheppard87
No trailer yet, just some pictured released. My guess is we’ll have a trailer the first week of July .
Bengali
You can also see Nicholas Galitzine in the movie “The Craft: Legacy”. A great quasi-sequel to the original although you may not realize that until the end. Nicholas Galitzine is a jerk at the beginning but one can hope for transformation and he might become more adorable and even huggable. And just wait…at some point in the film the lgbtq+ under current BECOMES THE CURRENT. I really loved this movie.
Thad
I can recommend the book! It was very popular in a surprising variety of circles. And I liked it even if Alex acted like a fool too often and the prince was too good to be true. Sigh…OK, suspend disbelief and go with the rom-com.
DamSexy
Loved the book; patiently waiting for August 11th. The leads are extremely easy on the eyes.
Persian_Prince
film about 2 white privlidged guys, PLEASE can we get some decent movies with something more than white pretty boys ! OVER IT
Sheppard87
I’m sorry, are you blind or a troll? Perez, who plays Alex, is “is of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Mexican descent” according to wikipedia. Additionally, a huge part of the plot of the movie is that his character is bi-racial (Mexican and White) from Texas. His white mom is the first female president and his Mexican-American Dad is a senator…. Like, in now was is the character or the actor white.
The other, is the grandson of the queen of England, so yeah… very white
Diplomat
Every race has their hotties. They just aren’t stepping up to the plate.
Persian_Prince
@Sheppard87 yes I am a troll, I just want to see more diverse people in media ! just becuse my ancestry DNA says I am 10% scottish does not make me white scottish ahahahaha Just like Cameran Diaz does to represent the Latin community.
PS: LEARN TO COPE BETTER
@Diplomat Bitch dont go there !! I will step on you ! have you been living under a rock
Todd.Brooklyn
A very good movie!! Well done by everyone. It leaves you uplifted and the sex scene that seems to have given it an R rating, while not worth more than PG is one of the hottest gay moments without nudity I have seen
Diplomat
Best movie ever! Hot cast great script and a surprise global positive ending to make everyone choke up. How much better can it be?