There have been exactly eleventy billion adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, and the trailer for Rosaline proves that there is definitely room for one more. The movie — starring Kaitlyn Dever as Romeo’s scorned ex-girlfriend — looks like an absolute blast. Dever is clearly bringing her Book Smart energy to the irreverent retelling alongside some hints at thoroughly 1990s rom-com tropes. A guy helping her get her ex-boyfriend back? Check. Her getting close to Juliet to sabotage the relationship? Double check. Juliet poisoning herself to fake her own death?
Alright, so that’s not in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Fair enough.
Still, that “same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline” is Juliet’s cousin (rethinking Romeo’s whole deal yet?), so it’s a fantastic idea to inject her into the most famous Western romantic tragedy of all time. Especially when she’s got a modern penchant for curse words and drinking.
Directed by Karen Maine (who wrote Obvious Child and wrote/directed Yes, God, Yes), Rosaline is based off the Rebecca Serle novel with a script from comedic titans Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (Disaster Artist, 500 Days of Summer). It also stars Minnie Driver, Isabela Merced, and Bradley Whitford, who would have voted for King James I for a third term.
It hits Hulu October 14th, which gives everyone just enough time to scramble for Shakespearean Halloween costumes.