Paramount Lands Rom-Com Spec ‘The Romantic’ From Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont; Dave Bautista Aboard To Star
DeadlineWednesday, June 25, 2025 at 8:00:00 PM
Paramount just snagged a new rom-com called The Romantic, written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont (the duo behind Can’t Hardly Wait), with wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista set to star. The story follows a bestselling romance author, Francine London, who’s hiding a big secret—details still under wraps. Production will be handled by Maximum Effort (Ryan Reynolds’ company) and Bautista’s own Dogbone Entertainment.
Editor’s Note: Rom-coms are making a comeback, and this one’s got some serious firepower behind it—both in front of and behind the camera. Bautista’s involvement is intriguing because he’s mostly known for action roles (Guardians of the Galaxy, Dune), so seeing him pivot to romance could be a fun twist. Plus, Kaplan and Elfont have a solid track record with witty, heartfelt scripts. If this lands well, it could signal more A-listers taking chances on lighter genres.
— Curated via WP Now’s
