Netflix Announces Beatrice Kitsos and David Iacono as Leads in 'Better Than the Movies' Film

Netflix is adapting Lynn Painter's New York Times bestselling YA rom‑com novel Better Than the Movies into a feature film. The project will be directed by Julia Hart, who also co‑writes the screenplay with Heather Flanders and Jordan Horowitz.

The lead roles have been cast: Beatrice Kitsos will play Liz Buxbaum, the romance‑obsessed high‑school senior, and David Iacono will portray her neighbor Wes Bennett, who helps her pursue her crush. Production is set to begin in Chicago in September and run through October, with filming based at The Fields Studios.

The novel has spent 44 months on the NYT monthly YA paperback list and 20 weeks on the YA hardcover list, fueling strong fan interest on BookTok. The adaptation is being produced by Original Headquarters alongside Shauna Phelan and Melanie Krauss. No release date has been announced, but the film is expected to arrive on Netflix in the 2027‑2028 timeframe.