New Delhi: The Love Hypothesis press tour is the gift that keeps on giving. The hype around Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming book-to-screen adaptation may have begun with book lovers, but the film has quickly got a majority of social media in a chokehold.
Starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, the film is directed by Claire Scanlon and is based on the 2021 STEM romance novel by Ali Hazelwood. The novel was Hazelwood’s first venture into publishing and was originally written as a fanfic about Rey and Kylo Ren from the Star Wars sequels. Interestingly, Rey is played by Bateman’s wife, Daisy Ridley, making fans all the more excited for the casting. The film is set to be released on 23 September on Amazon Prime Video.
But while the casting, the filming, and the reels in between have kept fans fed for months, it is the recent press tour, namely the outfits and the odes to romcoms past, that has the internet buzzing.
Fashion as a love letter
Taking a page out of Zendaya’s book, Reinhart began her own method dressing and channelled the romcom heroines of the past.
Days after her 30th birthday, the actor was seen walking through the streets of New York City in an outfit inspired by the 2004 film 13 Going on 30. Reinhart’s slip dress with a polka dot trench was reminiscent of the haphazard look Jennifer Garner’s Jenna Rink dons when she wakes up in a 30-year-old body and hurriedly leaves her apartment.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Reinhart walked the New York City premiere of the film in a 2004 Ellie Saab spring couture collection gown. Fans were quick to point out the similarities to Brittany Murphy’s Blumarine dress in Uptown Girls (2003). However, speaking to WhoWhatWear, Reinhart said that the similarity was completely coincidental.
“There will be more homages, don’t you worry,” Reinhart added.
From the streets to the red carpet, Reinhart is committed to 2000s-inspired method dressing.
One of her appearances related to The Love Hypothesis was in August; Reinhart stepped out in New York in a look inspired by Mean Girls (2004). The embellished mini skirt and pink cardigan worn by the actor could easily have been found in Regina George’s wardrobe.
Earlier in this month, for the Brazil premiere, Reinhart stopped with the subtle hints and wore the iconic yellow dress from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003). The butter yellow dress immortalised by Kate Hudson was a replica from Caché.
On 8 September, Reinhart and her stylist Abdel Nasser paid homage to the 1998 period drama Ever After: A Cinderella Story. The actor wore a silver embellished gown inspired by Drew Barrymore’s dress in the Cinderella-story retelling.
Reinhart also wore an outfit similar to Keira Knightley’s famous green dress from Atonement (2007); she even climbed on a library ladder for the full effect. She also channelled her inner Miss Congeniality in a purple bandage dress inspired by the 2000 film.
In fact, Reinhart even had her co-star Bateman paying homage to the classic 1990s and 2000s romantic comedies. In one press event, the 37-year-old British actor wore a shirt with the poster for the 1999 romcom Notting Hill.
But apart from the looks that have fashion bloggers, fans and romcom-lovers obsessed, it is the interviews that have made the press tour a success.
Also Read: Why Zendaya is the undisputed queen of method dressing
Welcome to The Love Hypothesis press tour
From Instagram to X, the consensus is clear that The Love Hypothesis press tour has set a gold standard for a romcom promotion.
Fans seem to find the press interactions almost as interesting as the clips of the film that Amazon keeps releasing at varying intervals. The interviews, the actors’ chemistry (on and off-screen), as well as their acknowledgement of the importance of romcoms have won hearts everywhere.
“This is how you promote a romcom,” read an Instagram post with over 4.1 thousand likes.
But some fans assume that the promotional strategies are working well because the actors understand the power of the book.
During an interview on NBC’s TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle, the actors reflected on how they fell in love with the story.
“I completely fell in love with it the way everyone else did, and I realised, ‘Oh, that’s why everyone loves these books so much, these characters so much,’” said Bateman, adding that he had neither heard of the book nor read it prior to being offered the script.
Reinhart further acknowledged the “power of booktok” when addressing the pressure and the excitement behind a film that has a built-in audience.
The hosts also thanked the actor for her TikToks; one of them even gathered over 80 million views.
The actor added that the film made her fall in love with the genre again and all her efforts during the tour were just a small way of giving back.
“Just to see people falling in love is a beautiful thing,” she said.