What happens when two totally different people keep choosing each other summer after summer? People We Meet on Vacation, the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s hit novel, is heading straight to Netflix on January 9, 2026. After selling more than two million copies in the United States, the contemporary rom-com is leaving the page for the screen with a story that leans heavily on quiet emotions, lingering glances, and a friendship that may have always been something more.
Netflix turns Emily Henry’s bestseller into a streaming rom-com event
First published in 2021, Emily Henry’s novel quickly became a reference point for modern romantic comedy. Netflix partnered with Sony Pictures to secure adaptation rights, signaling clear confidence that the book’s blend of slow-burn tension and bittersweet humor would translate to a broad streaming audience.
The movie is directed by Brett Haley, whose previous work includes Hearts Beat Loud (2018) and All the Bright Places (2020). His challenge is specific and structural: the story unfolds across ten years of shared summer trips, and the film must condense that decade-long arc into a 1 hour 58 minute feature without losing the emotional layering that made the book resonate with readers.
The heart of the story: Poppy and Alex, total opposites who can’t walk away
At the center of People We Meet on Vacation are two best friends who could not be more different but somehow never drift apart. Their dynamic fuels both the comedy and the emotional stakes of the film.
- Emily Bader (My Lady Jane) plays Poppy, a spontaneous, funny, over-the-top woman who tends to throw herself headfirst into life, and into every new trip.
- Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) is Alex, studious, calm, and pragmatic — the grounding force who balances Poppy’s impulsive energy.
Their relationship is supported by a strong ensemble cast that surrounds and occasionally complicates their connection: Sarah Catherine Hook (First Kill), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris), Lukas Gage (You), Molly Shannon (The White Lotus), and Alan Ruck (Succession).
Author Emily Henry has already endorsed the on-screen pairing, explaining that she “couldn’t have dreamed of a better duo” to bring Poppy and Alex to life. For fans of the book, that approval is likely to be a key signal that the adaptation is treating the core relationship with care.
Ten summers, one unresolved love story
The narrative spans ten consecutive years of summer vacations shared by Poppy and Alex, even as their everyday lives pull them in opposite directions. Each trip adds another layer to their bond, creating a rhythm of closeness, distance, and emotional near-misses.
From New Orleans to a destination wedding in Barcelona, each setting marks a new chapter in their relationship. One person waits for a confession that never quite arrives; the other hesitates, aware that crossing the line from friendship to romance could change everything. The film keeps the book’s flashback structure, weaving past and present together through moments of joy, disagreements, and the slow realization that their connection may have always been more than platonic.
A rom-com built around travel and changing locations
Travel is not just a backdrop in People We Meet on Vacation; it’s central to how the story unfolds. The production embraced that idea fully. According to director Brett Haley, the team joked that, in terms of locations, this movie was the “James Bond of rom-coms.”
Moving between Europe and the United States, the camera doesn’t just showcase varied landscapes; it also mirrors the inner lives of the characters. Real-world locations ground the evolving relationship, giving their emotional journey a tangible sense of place and time. Each new city or destination shifts their perspective just enough to push them closer to — or further from — saying what they really feel.
Release details: where and when to watch People We Meet on Vacation
People We Meet on Vacation will launch worldwide on Netflix on January 9, 2026. The movie is not planned for a theatrical release and is heading directly to the streaming platform’s catalog, following the same straight-to-Netflix path that has worked well for other romantic book-to-screen adaptations, including the hit franchise To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
FAQ
When will People We Meet on Vacation be available on Netflix?
People We Meet on Vacation will be released on Netflix on January 9, 2026. It will be available globally on the platform on that date.
Is People We Meet on Vacation getting a theatrical release?
No. The film is not scheduled for a theatrical run. It will go directly to Netflix as an exclusive streaming title.
Who plays Poppy and Alex in the Netflix adaptation?
Emily Bader (My Lady Jane) plays Poppy, and Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) plays Alex. Emily Henry has publicly praised this casting, saying she could not have imagined a better duo for the roles.
How does the movie handle the book’s ten-year timeline?
The film keeps the novel’s flashback-based structure, revisiting ten years of shared summer vacations between Poppy and Alex. Within a runtime of 1 hour 58 minutes, it moves between past trips and present-day moments to explore their evolving feelings, from New Orleans to a destination wedding in Barcelona.
