BookTok has been waiting years for this moment — and now it's finally here. On July 31, 2026, Netflix officially confirmed the main cast for the highly anticipated film adaptation of Lynn Painter's Better Than the Movies.
Beatrice Kitsos will play Liz Buxbaum, with David Iacono as her co-star Wes Bennett — exactly the two actors the BookTok community had been fan-casting for these roles for months. And the community is all for it. Netflix Tudum
What is Better Than the Movies about?
Better Than the Movies follows high school student Liz Buxbaum, a hopeless romantic obsessed with classic rom-coms. She devises a plan with her annoying but handsome next-door neighbor Wes to catch the attention of her long-time crush Michael, who has just moved back to town. UPI
Better Than the Movies is a love letter to romantic comedies. The film pays homage to all the classic romance tropes — fake relationship, enemies to lovers, boy next door — but flips them on their head in a fresh take on what happily ever after looks like. MEAWW
The book was published in 2021 by Lynn Painter and is a #1 New York Times bestseller. It has been on the NYT monthly YA paperback list for 44 consecutive months and on the weekly YA hardcover list for 20 weeks. The BookTok community has embraced the book massively — which is exactly why Netflix picked it up. UPI
The cast of Better Than the Movies
Beatrice Kitsos as Liz Buxbaum
Kitsos is best known for her role as Alison Simms in Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. She caught fans' attention after announcing on Instagram that she really wanted to audition for the role of Liz — a move that only made her more popular with the BookTok community. Netflix Tudum
David Iacono as Wes Bennett
Iacono played Cam Cameron in The Summer I Turned Pretty and has also had roles in Jurassic World Rebirth, The Flight Attendant, and Fear Street: Prom Queen. BookTok users made fan edits and casting reels with Iacono as Wes long before Netflix officially announced the adaptation. Yahoo!Swooon
The rest of the cast:
The full cast also includes Malia Baker, Joseph Zada, and Cale Ambrozic. Netflix Life
The director and the script
Julia Hart directs the film and co-writes the script with her husband Jordan Horowitz. Hart previously directed the Netflix teen film Don't Say Good Luck starring Sunny Sandler, which is set to be released on August 14, 2026. Comic Basics
Lynn Painter herself reacted enthusiastically to the announcement. "GAHHHHHHHHHH!!! Five years (and one day) after BTTM was first published, I get to post that Netflix is adapting the book?" she wrote. "Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz GET Liz and Wes. They get it."
When will Better Than the Movies be released on Netflix?
Better Than the Movies is not expected on Netflix until 2027 at the earliest. An official release date has not yet been confirmed. The film has just entered the production phase now that the main roles have been cast. Deadline
This means you have plenty of time to read the book — and also its 2024 sequel Nothing Like the Movies, which follows Liz and Wes in college.
The Lynn Painter books in order
Want to start reading before the movie comes out? This is the reading order:
| # | Title | Year | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Better Than the Movies | 2021 | High school |
| 2 | Nothing Like the Movies | 2024 | College |
Painter published the college sequel Nothing Like the Movies in 2024, which follows Liz and Wes in college.
Why BookTok has been waiting years for this adaptation
Better Than the Movies has something many other YA romances don't: it's a true love letter to the genre itself. Liz is a reader and a viewer — she thinks in rom-com tropes, she expects life to work like in the movies, and she has to discover that reality is sometimes better than the most beautiful scene.
That meta-layer — a girl who believes in the story while experiencing a story herself — is exactly what makes the book unique and why the BookTok community has cherished it for years.
And then there's Wes Bennett. The BookTok community already had Iacono in mind for the role of Wes before the adaptation was announced, and created reels of the dream casting. The fact that the official casting perfectly matched what the community wanted makes this one of the most appreciated casting announcements of 2026. UPI
Read the book before the movie comes out
With an expected release in 2027, you have plenty of time. Use it — because Better Than the Movies reads quickly and the experience of the book is always richer than what a movie can offer. You have your own Wes Bennett in your head — and that's always the best image.
Save your favorite pages with a romance bookmark and capture your thoughts in our Book Review Notepad.
Complete your Better Than the Movies reading kit
💕 The perfect Better Than the Movies reading kit:
✔ Romance Bookmark — for the best fake dating moments
✔ Blind Date Book (Romance) — for when you want more rom-coms while waiting for the movie
✔ Book Review Notepad — record your reading experience
✔ Reading Log (€1.99) — keep track of your reading list
✔ Glass Can — for your iced coffee or matcha while reading
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Happy reading — and who knows, your life might even be better than the movies! 💕📚
Frequently asked questions about Better Than the Movies Netflix
When will Better Than the Movies be on Netflix?
Better Than the Movies is not expected on Netflix before 2027. An official release date has not yet been confirmed. Deadline
Who plays Liz and Wes in Better Than the Movies?
Beatrice Kitsos plays Liz Buxbaum and David Iacono plays Wes Bennett in the Netflix adaptation. Netflix Tudum
Is Better Than the Movies based on a book?
Yes. Better Than the Movies is based on Lynn Painter's 2021 novel of the same name. The book is a #1 New York Times bestseller and has been on the NYT list for 44 consecutive months.
Who is directing Better Than the Movies?
Julia Hart directs the film and co-writes the script with her husband Jordan Horowitz. Comic Basics
Is there a sequel to Better Than the Movies?
Yes. Lynn Painter published the college sequel Nothing Like the Movies in 2024, which follows Liz and Wes in college.
What is the plot of Better Than the Movies?
Better Than the Movies follows Liz Buxbaum, a high school student and hopeless romantic, who enlists the help of her next-door neighbor Wes to catch the attention of her crush Michael. Yahoo!
What tropes are in Better Than the Movies?
Better Than the Movies features fake relationship, enemies to lovers, and boy next door — but twists them into a fresh take on what happily ever after looks like. MEAWW