Red White & Royal Blue: Here’s everything we know about the upcoming movie

Casey McQuiston’s New York Times Bestseller, Red White & Royal Blue is getting an on-screen adaptation! Amazon Studios acquired the rights to turn the ever-popular queer romance into a film back in 2019, not too long after its initial release into the literary world. Now they have a producer, director, and screenwriter too!

It was recently announced that Tony Award Winning Playwright Matthew Lopez signed on to direct the film. This will be his feature directorial debut, he is also one of the Executive Producers, and he also adapted the screenplay from the novel. Needless to say, all eyes are on Matthew Lopez right now.

Here is everything we know about Matthew Lopez, the adaptation, and why we care so much!

Matthew Lopez

In case you’re wondering if your *cough* favorite book of all time *cough* is in the right hands or not, we’re here to tell you that Matthew Lopez is no stranger to the world of queer literary drama. In 2020 Lopez won a Tony Award (and five others) for The Inheritance.

The Inheritance is set in New York thirty years after the height of the AIDS epidemic. It follows the life of what it means to be a gay man in society in the wake of the epidemic and the responsibilities of one generation’s legacy to another.

Lopez also worked on HBO’s Newsroom back in 2013, has had several other highly acclaimed on-stage productions, and last year the dude landed himself an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Filming schedule and casting information

All involved with this film are being very tight-lipped about these announcements. Since Lopez was announced as director and screenwriter back in October of 2021, all other information regarding the rest of this highly anticipated project has been locked away in a vault far, far from fan spaces.

In short, we know nothing!

However, that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating and attempting to manifest their opinions on the project. While nobody really has any concrete opinions about when filming may start (thanks, Covid) fans state they would prefer the filmmakers take their time and get it right, rather than rush it and get it out. And frankly, we agree.

These characters and this book are so important to so many people. Devout fans are sitting on their hands, holding their breath in hopes that their fantasy world remains perfectly intact. Despite this, the fandom has some very strong opinions about who should play Henry and Alex. If this is you, drop us a comment in the comments box below and share your thoughts on this one!

Cautious anticipation

Adapting a popular book to an on-screen version is a risky business. Especially with a book as widely read and adored as Red White & Royal Blue, there is a lot that could go wrong. Fans are curious about the budget. Does the project have enough? Will this influence who they can hire to play these beloved characters? What about filming locations? Just how authentic is Amazon Studios’ approach going to be with this one?

Alex Claremont Diaz and his mid-Whitehouse bisexual awakening was so relatable and so important for bisexual people everywhere. Healthy bisexual representation in queer spaces on television and in films is so rare. McQuiston’s novel was the breath of fresh air that the bisexual community had been desperately waiting for. For them, Alex is a champion and the fear about how he will be translated to film is real.

Another question being raised in Red White & Royal Blue fan spaces is the possibility of censorship. Alex and Henry enjoy each other physically often as they explore their relationship and fall into their irreversible pool of love. Queer physical relationships are censored far more often than that of their heterosexual counterparts. Will Amazon Studios allow that part of their characters to bleed onto screens, or will that part of their lives be erased, diminished, or short-changed?

Because Lopez joined the ticket, we are cautiously optimistic that this is one story that will get done right. We are waiting though, and we are watching.

Until then, what are your top five Red White & Royal Blue moments?

Edited June 1st, 2022: Red, White & Royal Blue Cast Members Announced!

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Featured image: Via Casey McQuiston’s IG account