Where Art Thou, Classic Rom-Coms?

Hollywood has an unhealthy obsession with recycling old ideas.

In recent years, reboots and sequels have dominated the silver screen, garnering mixed responses from moviegoers. But before Hollywood became oversaturated with remakes, there was a time when adaptations gave new life to the stories that inspired them.

While overlooked, romantic comedies have produced some of Hollywood’s most daring, yet faithful retellings of classic literature, ranging from Shakespeare’s plays to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novels. These rom-coms have become almost as classic as their source texts — and there should be more of them.

From the late 1990s to early 2000s, rom-coms ruled the box office, pulling millions of dollars in their openings alone, according to The Numbers.

The ‘90s hits “Pretty Woman” and “Clueless” both landed in the top 25 grossing films of their respective years’, according to Box Office Mojo. Neither were just comedic love stories, but reimaginings of classic plays and novels — George Shaw’s “Pygmalion” and Jane Austen’s “Emma,” respectively.

Less obvious than other adaptations of the ‘90s, rom-coms of this era discreetly drew from timeless stories, deliberately updating their themes and characters for modern audiences.

Though genuine in their contemporary twists, the popularity of turn of the century rom-coms left the genre increasingly formulaic, oversaturating the market and leading to a rom-com drought in the 2010s, according to the BBC.

The rom-com lied dormant for years — until the 2023 film “Anyone But You.” Loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” the film was a box office hit, grossing $220 million on a $25 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

Though the trend of adapting classic works into rom-coms is back, “Anyone But You” failed to capture the qualities that made its predecessors timeless — sharp wit and genuine emotional depth.

Centered on former lovers forced to maintain the illusion of a happy relationship, the film adheres to this simple premise, gracelessly framing itself as an adaptation by weaving references to Shakespeare’s play throughout.

This approach weakens the film, prioritizing surface-level allusions over meaningful engagement with the source material. 

That said, classics-based rom-coms don’t have to be unrecognizable to be good.

The 2011 animated film “Gnomeo and Juliet” succeeds in being an absurd-yet-obvious take on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The film presents how a story can remain relevant and engaging without relying on superficial references by infusing new ideas.

Rather than copying Shakespeare’s dialogue, “Gnomeo and Juliet” keeps the core themes intact while using humor and an atypical setting to attract modern audiences. Its animated identity separates the film from other retellings, making the bleak tale accessible for all ages.

Earlier Shakespeare-inspired rom-coms like “10 Things I Hate About You” and “She’s The Man” adopt a more subtle approach, incorporating elements from their source without explicitly presenting themselves as adaptations.

The subdued approach enables films to establish their own identity, distinct from their source material. While “Anyone But You” feels like a direct adaptation, the soccer-centric plot in “She’s The Man” separates it from its Shakespearean origin, “Twelfth Night.”

This perfect balance can be struck in contemporary films too, as demonstrated by 2024’s “Lisa Frankenstein,” which reimagines the Mary Shelley classic as a modern coming-of-age story. While “Frankenstein” has seen numerous theatrical retellings, director Zelda Williams’ film transforms the story into a thrilling 80s slasher.

Despite the innovative screenplay, “Lisa Frankenstein” made only a meager return on investment, according to Variety, leaving future projects with strange twists uncertain.

Of course, not every influential rom-com is rooted in the past. One of the most renowned rom-coms of all time, “When Harry Met Sally,” was inspired by real stories. But if Hollywood’s going to keep recycling stories, it should prioritize originality and bring fresh perspectives to familiar themes — something classic stories are perfectly suited for.

Even today, the subtleties of a great rom-com can go unnoticed. It’s not enough that these films are inspired by the past — but how they are reinterpreted for modern audiences.

While rom-coms based on classic works are slowly returning to theaters, audiences aren’t always supporting the ones that creatively play with convention. Yet these movies — and their refreshing-yet-faithful takes on their sources — should still have a place in Hollywood.