Back in 2019, Red, White & Blue – a novel about the first son of the United States falling for a British prince – landed on the New York Times bestseller list after becoming a viral hit largely due to word of mouth.
Now the beloved tale of queer love by author Casey McQuiston is expected to repeat that same magic with its film adaptation, which hits Prime Video in August.
It has already been touted as the romance comedy of the summer, and the army of the novel’s fans have been flocking to social media to share their anticipation and excitement now that the first images of the movie have been released by Prime Video.
Red, White & Royal Blue places Alex (American) and Henry (British, and did we mention a prince) front and centre and follows a classic trajectory, with the pair’s longtime rivalry evolving into a deep and nuanced love story.
Here’s everything you need to know about how the much-loved book is heading to the screen.
What will the film be focused on?
The focus will centre on the book’s “enemies-to-friends-to-lovers” trajectory.
The main characters Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the President of the United States (played by Taylor Zakhar Perez), and Britain’s Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), “have a lot in common,” according to Prime Video’s official description.
“Stunning good looks, undeniable charisma, international popularity… and a total disdain for each other. Separated by an ocean, their long-running feud hasn’t really been an issue, until a disastrous — and very public — altercation at a royal event becomes tabloid fodder, driving a potential wedge in US-British relations at the worst possible time.
“Going into damage-control mode, their families and handlers force the two rivals into a staged ‘truce.’ But as Alex and Henry’s icy relationship unexpectedly begins to thaw into a tentative friendship, the friction that existed between them sparks something deeper than they ever expected...”
So the film closely follows the book?
Yes, with some exceptions. According to Tony-winning playwright Matthew López (The Inheritance), who co-wrote the film with Ted Malawer, the novel’s tone remains intact.
“Obviously, when translating a nearly 500-page book to the screen, there are things you have to lose and things you will need to change,” Lopez told Glamour.
“It is an adaptation, not a recitation. I like to think that, as a fan of the novel, I was able to find the balance of serving Casey’s story while also serving the needs of the movie.”
López also explained that the most crucial thing for him was to maintain the book’s portrayal of Alex and Henry’s personalities and their voices.
He said: “If there was one lesson I kept learning over and over while making this film, it’s that if it’s not about Alex or Henry, it doesn’t belong in the film.”
Okay, but the book famously oozed sexual chemistry - will the film capture this?
Fans will be thrilled to know that the film takes the novel’s steamier scenes, which were widely popular, very seriously. Intimacy coordinator Robbie Taylor Hunt ensured that physical connection between Henry and Alex was captured perfectly.
“He was incredible,” Zakhar Perez said of working with Hunt. “It was just like a dance. I grew up in theatre, and Nick’s done musicals. We’re both very musical people.
“So Robbie found it easiest to talk to us in musical terms — there’s a musicality to intimacy. There’d be lots of counting. Like, ‘1, 2, 3, 4, grab. 2, 3, 4, squeeze.’”
Galitzine added to Glamour: “It’s a very vulnerable and trusting space... It becomes a sort of wonderful choreography that all serves to facilitate these two young men who fell in love with each other.
“Robbie was really helpful in educating me in the physical language of the character.”
Who else is in the cast?
Joining the film’s romantic leads, Zakhar Perez and Galitzine, is Uma Thurman as President Ellen Claremont, the first female president of the United States.
Alongside her are Stephen Fry, Clifton Collins Jr., Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Ellie Bamber, Thomas Flynn, Malcolm Atobrah, Akshay Khanna, Sharon D. Clarke, Aneesh Sheth, and Juan Castano.
Will the movie look as slick as the book seems?
Indeed! From cocktails to an infamous cake-fight, the first-look images are polished, bright and bold and really bring the polished atmosphere of the popular queer rom-com to life.
The snaps also show that the film will capture all the varied elements of the pair’s relationship. One shows a peaceful moment between the two, away from prying eyes; another displays the much-talked about scene from McQuiston’s book in which the two collide into each other – and a massive cake.
The other pictures feature some of the other key characters, including Thurman in a scene where she’s embracing Zakhar Perez, Bamber as Henry’s sister Princess Bea and Shahi as Zahra Bankston, President Claremont’s chief of staff.
Atobrah, who plays Percy “Pez” Okonjo, the best friend of Prince Henry and the founder of a host of charities and non-profit organisations, is shown in a bar scene laughing alongside the royal and Hilson, who stars as Nora Holleran - the granddaughter of the Vice President, Mike Holleran.
When does the film hit our screens?
Red, White & Royal Blue will be on Prime Video on August 11.
