Dearest gentle readers, we know and adore Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton. However, we’re about to see her as another dearly beloved book character in the next Emily Henry adaptation. That’s right, it’s been revealed that the Bridgerton star will be the lead in the adaptation of Beach Read.
After months and months of fancasting and dreaming, Beach Reach has found its January Andrews, and she’s perfect. The successful romance novelist will be played by Dynevor, per Deadline, who became a household name thanks to Season 1 of Bridgerton. So, she’s well-versed in the genre, beloved by fans, and I think she’ll be the perfect person to lead this highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptation of Emily Henry’s first contemporary romance novel.
For context, Beach Read follows January as she tackles a bout of writer's block by spending the summer in Michigan by the lake. While there, she reconnects with Augustus “Gus” Everett, an author who writes dark and dramatic books and was her rival in college. It turns out, he has writer's block, too, so they strike up a deal to swap genres and write books that are way outside their comfort zones. Obviously, romance ensues as well, and what follows is a wonderful love story.
This comes on the heels of the release of People We Meet on Vacation on Netflix’s 2026 movie schedule. That film was co-written by Yulin Kuang, who will be directing and writing the upcoming movie adaptation of Beach Read. I do think it’s worth noting that PWMOV perfectly cast its leads with Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, and overall, the movie was well-received. So, with Kuang attached to both write and direct and Dynevor on board to star, I think this film from 20th Centry Studios is in very good hands.
Now, along with this being great news for fans of Henry’s books, it should also thrill Bridgerton fans. Dynevor made her debut (pun intended) as Daphne in Season 1 of the period romance, which she led with Regé-Jean Page. Sadly, she has not reprised her role since Season 2.
In the years since, she’s had parts in movies like Fair Play and Anniversary. However, she has not been in a classic romance since Bridgerton. So, I cannot wait to see her return to the genre in a totally different way.
I do feel like she’s the perfect January, too, and now I’m really wondering who her Gus will be. Fans have pointed to Logan Lerman and Paul Mescal as options for the other author in this story. However, odds are they’ll pick someone we are not expecting, and I’m sure he’ll be perfect.
At the moment, the movie does not have a release date. There’s also many casting announcements that should follow this one. So, while we wait for those, you can go back and watch Dynevor’s last prominent romance adaptation, Bridgerton, with a Netflix subscription (in fact, Season 4, Part 2 comes out on February 26). You can also stream Emily Henry’s latest adaptation, People We Meet on Vacation, there as well. In the meantime, I’ll be daydreaming about seeing January and Gus on the big screen.
