Netflix Confirms ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ January 9 Premiere
Another quiet afternoon, Netflix casually slipped a dreamy January premiere into our feeds—because what’s better than a rom-com road trip to kick off the new year? People We Meet on Vacation, the silver-screen twist on Emily Henry’s bestselling novel, lands on the streamer January 9. If you’re into slow-burn chemistry, travel envy and that heart-in-your-throat moment when best friends finally blur their platonic lines, this one’s for you.
Netflix broke the news via a July 1 post on X (formerly Twitter), dripping a little wanderlust-infused wisdom: “On vacation, you can be anyone you want. People We Meet on Vacation, starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, premieres January 9.” Cue our collective heart flutter. The teaser itself feels like passing love notes over a beach sunrise—Poppy Wright (Emily Bader) asks her ride-or-die Alex Nilson (Tom Blyth) if he loves or loathes travel. His answer? A poetic ode to first light: “I saw this beautiful sunrise over a place I’d never been before…love. I’m thinking of love.” Source: Netflix X Post, July 1.
Directed by Brett Haley (Heart of Hollywood cred incoming) and produced courtesy of Prime Video stalwarts, the film stitches together the novel’s signature blend of wanderlust and “will-they, won’t-they.” Euphoria’s Lukas Gage, The Good Place’s Jameela Jamil, Emily in Paris alum Lucien Laviscount and White Lotus breakout Sarah Catherine Hook round out the ensemble, ensuring there’s never a dull moment on or off the beach.
Emily Henry herself has been on set for select visits—per her April chat with E! News—and watching her words blossom on screen gave her total half-smirk approval. “They embodied the characters in a way that shifted them for me,” she told E! News. “Tom and Emily became Alex and Poppy in this awesome new way. Viewers who loved the book will still find the souls they fell for.” Source: E! News interview, April 2023.
Beyond the leads’ swoon-worthy banter—think road-trip playlists, sunset selfies and confessions at cliff-top lookouts—this adaptation promises to lean into those universal “I’m not crying, you’re crying” moments. And while diehard fans of the novel might already be mentally packing their bags for this cinematic getaway, there’s enough fresh dialogue and star-powered charm to hook first-timers too.
Circle your calendars, stock up on popcorn and maybe grab a cozy blanket—this January affair is shaping up to be the truest kind of escapism. Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Netflix X post (July 1), E! News interview (April 2023), Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation novel
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
