At San Diego Comic-Con 2026, a panel titled ‘Romance: On the Big Screen: Why It’s About Damn Time’ brought together a group of esteemed authors and industry professionals to discuss the current state of romance in the entertainment industry. Moderated by Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, the panel featured Christina Lauren, authors of the bestselling romance novels ‘Love and Other Words’ and ‘In a Holidaze’; Ali Hazelwood, author of ‘The Love Hypothesis’ and ‘Love, Theoretically’; Maurene Goo, author of ‘One and Only’; and Max Siemers, co-founder of Magic Hour Entertainment.

The panel began with a discussion on the current state of romance in the entertainment industry. Laura Lewis, co-founder of Rebelle Media, pointed out that romance accounts for 23% of all book sales, and that while it may seem like the genre is having a moment, it’s actually been a mainstay in the industry for a long time. Lewis emphasized that the industry is finally catching up with what women audiences have been wanting for a long time.

Christina Lauren, who have their book ‘In a Holidaze’ coming to Netflix as a film adapted by Tiffany Paulson later this year, shared their own experiences with the industry. The duo met 17 years ago sleeping on the sidewalk at the San Diego Convention Center waiting in line for the ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ panel featuring the cast of the then-upcoming film. Reflecting on this anniversary, Lauren commented on the growth of romance publishing’s presence at the convention.

Max Siemers, co-founder of Magic Hour Entertainment, which is now behind an adaptation of Christina Lauren’s ‘Love & Other Words,’ broached the idea that certain times of year provide windows to release romantic comedies and dramas set specifically around those holidays. Siemers suggested that the industry could learn from the success of movies like ‘Love Actually’ and ‘The Holiday,’ which have become holiday staples. He emphasized that the key to success lies in capturing the chemistry between the leads and giving the audience a reason to care about the characters.

Amanda Palley, co-founder of Rebelle Media, echoed Siemers’ sentiments, stating that the industry needs to focus on capturing the chemistry between the leads. Palley pointed out that failure at the box office by a romance film trickling into the big screen trend at all for love stories in the past. She emphasized that the industry needs to take a more thoughtful approach to romance, one that prioritizes character development and chemistry over marketing gimmicks.

Ali Hazelwood, author of ‘The Love Hypothesis’ and ‘Love, Theoretically,’ shared her own experiences with the industry. Hazelwood pointed out that the industry has a tendency to focus on the ‘hook’ of a romance story, rather than the actual story itself. She emphasized that the key to success lies in capturing the chemistry between the leads and giving the audience a reason to care about the characters.

Throughout the panel, the authors and industry professionals emphasized the importance of capturing the chemistry between the leads. They pointed out that the industry has a tendency to focus on marketing gimmicks and ‘hooks’ rather than the actual story itself. They emphasized that the key to success lies in taking a thoughtful approach to romance, one that prioritizes character development and chemistry over marketing gimmicks.

The Future of Romance on the Big Screen

The panel concluded with a discussion on the future of romance on the big screen. Max Siemers, co-founder of Magic Hour Entertainment, emphasized that the industry needs to take a more thoughtful approach to romance, one that prioritizes character development and chemistry over marketing gimmicks. Amanda Palley, co-founder of Rebelle Media, echoed Siemers’ sentiments, stating that the industry needs to focus on capturing the chemistry between the leads.

Christina Lauren, authors of ‘Love and Other Words’ and ‘In a Holidaze,’ shared their own experiences with the industry. The duo emphasized that the industry needs to take a more thoughtful approach to romance, one that prioritizes character development and chemistry over marketing gimmicks. They pointed out that the key to success lies in capturing the chemistry between the leads and giving the audience a reason to care about the characters.

The panel ended on a hopeful note, with the authors and industry professionals emphasizing the importance of capturing the chemistry between the leads. They pointed out that the industry has a tendency to focus on marketing gimmicks and ‘hooks’ rather than the actual story itself. They emphasized that the key to success lies in taking a thoughtful approach to romance, one that prioritizes character development and chemistry over marketing gimmicks.