Most people are familiar with the terrible tale of Romeo and Juliet, two young people whose paths are destined to intertwine and ultimately lead them to a fatal end. The plot, which is based on what is perhaps Shakespeare’s most famous play, has been adapted for the cinema on many occasions, including in 1996 with Baz Luhrmann’s modern-meets-classic version and again in 2013 with Hailee Steinfeld. Now, in the new film Rosaline from Hulu and 20th Century Studios, the timeless story is being retold but with a modern twist.
A teaser for the film has been published in anticipation of its premiere later this month.
In the first scene, viewers get a humorous peek of Rosaline’s (Kaitlyn Dever) perspective as she complains that her lover Romeo (Kyle Allen) is now seeing Rosaline’s cousin Juliet (Isabela Merced). The trailer re-creates the same dramatic sequences as the original, but this time from an objective third-point party’s of view. It also demonstrates that the vocabulary used is that of contemporary culture, despite the fact that the production and set design would transport viewers back to the story’s original historical period.
A more contemporary soundscape may be expected based on the inclusion of Icona Pop’s “I Love It” (with Charli XCX). Dever gets a chance to show off her humorous skills while also promoting the tale in this teaser. The actress has shown to be a genre-hopping force with parts in films like Dopesick and Unbelievable. Dever’s breakout role as a co-star alongside Beanie Feldstein in the hit comedy Booksmart made her a name for herself in the industry. It appears that in her role as Rosaline, she will once again get the chance to showcase her talents while also providing fans with some comic relief. The title character Rosaline is a young woman who was Romeo’s last love interest before he met Juliet.
Rosaline, whose heart was wounded when she found out about Juliet, is determined to destroy the new couple and regain Romeo’s love at any cost. In addition to reversing the play’s original narrative, the movie also twists the original story by having Rosaline pining for Romeo, but in the play, it is Romeo’s unrequited love that leads him to Juliet. When You Were Mine is a cinematic adaptation of a novel by Rebecca Serle. Screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, directed by Karen Maine (Starstruck, HBO Max). Emily Morris, together with Dever, Neustadter, and Weber, served as executive producers. Production was handled by Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine. Included in the cast are Bradley Whitford, Minnie Driver, Christopher McDonald, Sean Teale, Nico Hiraga, Henry Hunter Hall, and Alhaji Fofana.
On October 14, Rosaline will be available on Hulu.