Netflix has completed principal photography on Better Than the Movies, its adaptation of Lynn Painter’s #1 New York Times bestselling YA novel, and is now moving the project into post-production for an expected 2027 launch.
A two-month Chicago shoot
Director Julia Hart confirmed the wrap on Instagram on October 24. Production Weekly had listed the Chicago shoot from September 3 through October 21 at The Fields Studios; Hart’s confirmation indicates filming ran a few days past that target. In a follow-up post, Hart credited the crew, saying the production left her “forever changed.”
Hart directs and co-writes the film with Jordan Horowitz and Heather Flanders. Netflix named Hart to the project in May 2026. It is her third Netflix film: Don’t Say Good Luck arrived on the service on August 14, 2026, while My Lovely Wife has been in limbo since 2023. Original Headquarters produces; this is its second Netflix feature after Don’t Say Good Luck.
The cast and the fandom
Beatrice Kitsos and David Iacono lead as Liz Buxbaum and Wes Bennett. Netflix confirmed them on July 31, 2026, after what it called a buzzy talent search. Kitsos had previously posted a public plea to audition, and Painter later wrote that the leads had “totally NAILED the casting.”
- Leads: Beatrice Kitsos as Liz, David Iacono as Wes, and Deacon Phillippe as Michael Young.
- Supporting: Nicole Bruner, Luke Kirby, Judy Greer, Claire Coffee, Ora Duplass, Veronica Garrubbo and Kynlee Heiman.
The remaining eight actors were announced on September 3, when cameras started rolling in Chicago.
What the plot promises
The film centres on Liz, a self-described romantic, and Wes, her irritating next-door neighbour. She agrees to work with him to get the attention of Michael, the longtime crush who has returned to town, with the plan being a prom date. As the scheme unfolds, Liz finds she enjoys Wes’s company and has to rethink what she expects from a happy ending.
Netflix has billed it as a rom-com that plays with familiar genre tropes rather than simply leaning on them. That positions it as part of Netflix’s YA adaptation pipeline, where a known book property can bring a ready-made audience and an early signal from the fan community.
Why the 2027 window matters
The film now moves into post-production. For a project of this scale, eight to ten months is typical, which points to a summer or fall 2027 Netflix premiere. Netflix usually reveals its annual film slate in January or February, so the title’s formal date should become clearer early next year.
There is also a timing factor for marketers and buyers. Painter’s Fake Skating is set for a theatrical release on July 16, 2027, with Amélie Hoeferle and Graham Campbell. That means two Painter adaptations could land months apart, giving the author’s audience two opportunities to be activated in a single year.
For streaming and entertainment professionals, the takeaway is to treat the book fanbase as a demand signal rather than an afterthought. Fan casting drove the conversation before Netflix confirmed its leads, and the author’s seal of approval has already given the film a marketing asset before a single trailer exists.
Source: What’s on Netflix
