Netflix has officially cast Beatrice Kitsos and David Iacono as the leads in its film adaptation of Lynn Painter’s bestselling young adult novel Better Than the Movies. Kitsos will portray Liz Buxbaum, while Iacono takes on the role of Wes Bennett, bringing one of BookTok’s most popular contemporary romance novels to the screen.
Originally published by Simon & Schuster in 2021, Better Than the Movies has become one of the defining young adult novels of the BookTok era. The novel has remained on The New York Times monthly young adult paperback bestseller list for 44 consecutive months and also spent 20 weeks on the publication’s weekly YA hardcover list, underscoring its sustained popularity among readers several years after its release.
The story follows Liz Buxbaum, a high school senior with a lifelong love of classic romantic comedies. When her childhood crush moves back to town, Liz devises a plan to win his attention and reluctantly turns to her next-door neighbour, Wes Bennett, for help.
As the pair work together, Liz finds herself living through many of the romantic comedy tropes she has always admired—including fake dating, enemies-to-lovers and the boy-next-door dynamic—while gradually discovering that real relationships rarely unfold the way they do in the movies.
Even before Netflix confirmed the casting, both actors had already emerged as fan favourites within the BookTok community. Readers had circulated fan-made casting videos imagining Iacono as Wes long before the official announcement, while Kitsos had previously shared on social media that she was interested in auditioning for Liz after fans began suggesting her for the role. The film’s supporting cast also includes Malia Baker, Joseph Zada, and Cale Ambrozic, though Netflix has not yet announced a release date.
The adaptation is directed by Julia Hart, who co-wrote the screenplay with Heather Flanders and Jordan Horowitz. Hart and Horowitz are also producing the film alongside Shauna Phelan and Melanie Krauss. Hart most recently directed Netflix’s coming-of-age drama Don’t Say Good Luck, while her previous feature credits include I’m Your Woman.
Both lead actors bring experience from projects aimed at young adult audiences. Kitsos is known for playing Alison in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, while also appearing in The Baby-Sitters Club, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, iZombie, and the horror film It Lives Inside.
Iacono is best known for portraying Cam Cameron in Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and recently appeared in Jurassic World Rebirth. His other credits include The Flight Attendant, Grand Army, City on a Hill, and Fear Street: Prom Queen. He is also set to star in the upcoming romantic comedy Goodbye Girl for Amazon MGM Studios and Gulfstream Pictures.
The casting announcement has generated widespread discussion across social media, where readers have shared their reactions to Netflix’s choices. While many fans welcomed the casting of Kitsos and Iacono after years of fan speculation, others debated how closely the actors matched their own interpretations of Liz and Wes. Such conversations have become increasingly common as bestselling BookTok novels make the transition from page to screen.
With its lead cast now confirmed, Better Than the Movies moves into the next phase of production as Netflix continues expanding its slate of young adult literary adaptations. Backed by one of the most successful YA romance novels of the past few years and a cast already embraced by much of the book’s fanbase, the adaptation will be closely watched as it progresses toward release.
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