Ahead of the Netflix debut of People We Meet on Vacation, author Emily Henry is deepening her relationship with Netflix.
The streamer has officially picked up a film adaptation of Henry’s novel Funny Story and has decided to rework Happy Place, previously developed as a television series, into a feature film.
The news was first reported exclusively by Variety, marking a significant expansion of Henry’s growing presence in the screen adaptation space.
Netflix Adds ‘Funny Story’ and Retools ‘Happy Place’
People We Meet on Vacation arrived on Netflix on January 9; the platform confirmed it is moving forward with additional Emily Henry projects. Funny Story will be adapted as a standalone film, while Happy Place, which had been in development as a series, is now being reshaped into a movie.
Happy Place centers on Harriet and Wyn, a former couple who pretend to still be together during a final summer getaway with close friends at a Maine beach house, despite having quietly ended their engagement. The project is produced by Nuyorican Productions, with Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, and Benny Medina attached. Leila Cohan, previously involved as showrunner during the series phase, is no longer attached following the format change.
Funny Story is being produced by Lyrical Media and Ryder Picture Company. Emily Henry is writing the screenplay herself. At this stage, no director or cast has been announced for the film.
Emily Henry on Seeing ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ Come to Life
In an interview conducted by Variety, Henry spoke candidly about her reaction to seeing the People We Meet on Vacation adaptation for the first time. She described the experience as nerve-wracking, shaped largely by her concern for readers who already held deep attachments to the book.
According to Henry, relief came before excitement. Once she finished watching the film, she felt confident that the adaptation respected the story in a way that longtime fans would appreciate. While the book already existed in a form she was proud of, she viewed the film as something that needed to serve its readership first and foremost.
A Pause in Publishing, Not in Writing
Henry also addressed the absence of a new novel announcement for 2026. She explained that after maintaining an intense writing schedule for several years, she was encouraged by her editor and agent to step back temporarily.
During that period, Henry traveled extensively and focused on screenwriting, completing multiple scripts and shorter pieces. While she did not publish a novel during that time, she emphasized that the break helped reset her creative energy. She confirmed that she is now actively preparing to return to book writing and has already identified her next project.
Casting Challenges and the Romance Genre
Discussing her other adaptations, Henry acknowledged that casting romance projects remains complex. She pointed to a lingering stigma around the genre in Hollywood, particularly concerns among actors about being typecast or taken less seriously after appearing in romantic roles.
Henry contrasted this with publishing, where romance has become widely recognized as both commercially vital and creatively legitimate. She noted that People We Meet on Vacation benefited from timing, allowing actors Emily Bader and Tom Blyth to take on the roles of Poppy and Alex before their profiles grew even further.
She expressed optimism that the film’s success will make casting future adaptations easier, as actors see how performance-driven romance projects can showcase range rather than limit it.
What Comes Next for Emily Henry Adaptations
People We Meet on Vacation is the first of Henry’s planned screen adaptations to reach audiences. Film versions of Beach Read and Book Lovers are also in development with other studios, while Great Big Beautiful Life, her most recent novel, has not yet been released for adaptation.
Henry confirmed that while she has written a script based on that book, she and her team have chosen not to move forward with selling the rights yet, opting instead to focus on the projects currently in motion.
