“The Upside of Unrequited” is heading to the big screen with woman writers, directors, and producers attached. Film rights to Becky Albertalli’s YA novel have been acquired by U.K. production company Shakespeare Sisters, Variety reports. “Love, Simon,” a 20th Century Fox hit that took in $66 million worldwide, was based on the author’s debut novel, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” and spawned a Hulu spin-off series “Love, Victor.”
Set to be written and directed by “Soundtrack to Sixteen” filmmakers Hillary Shakespeare and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare, the adaptation of “The Upside of Unrequited” counts Albertalli among its exec producers. The “feel-good summer romance” tells the story of Molly, an awkward 17-year-old “who has had 26 crushes and exactly zero kisses. She’s sure love confessions can only go one way for weight-challenged girls: utter humiliation. Now that her twin Cassie is swept up in her first romance, Molly has never felt more alone. Finding a place in Cassie’s new world feels impossible, especially with her adorable co-worker Reid making things more confusing,” the source teases.
“‘The Upside of Unrequited’ is so close to my heart, and I’m so happy and grateful this adaptation is in the hands of filmmakers who so deeply understand the complexity of love, longing, friendship, and sisterhood,” said Albertalli. “The Shakespeare Sisters are masters of earnest, funny, heartfelt coming-of-age stories that never shy away from the beautiful messiness of love in all its forms. I can’t wait for my readers to fall in love with Molly in a whole new format, 27 times over.”
The Shakespeare Sisters commented, “We instantly identified with Molly and Cassie and the push-pull relationship between the sisters. Becky explores the loneliness of being left behind for a romantic relationship so delicately and sympathetically, which creates a really interesting avenue for a rom-com while at the same time providing us with all the fun, nostalgia, and anything’s possible feeling of first love.”
In a statement to Women and Hollywood, the filmmakers added, “Getting to know Becky these past few months has been so amazing — even though we’ve only been able to Zoom, we’ve had some great conversations about what’s important to us all about the book. As a girl with anxiety who was teased about her weight, Molly is a character who doesn’t see herself as ever being the heroine of a rom-com and that’s why it’s so great that she gets this love story!”
