For a generation raised on the golden age of romantic comedies, the past decade has felt like a cinematic drought. However, 2025 has decisively ended the famine, heralding a vibrant and unexpected renaissance for the beloved genre.
A Year of Unexpected Triumphs
The revival kicked off early with the triumphant return of a beloved icon. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, released in early 2025, defied expectations by becoming a massive hit. The film, which sees Bridget navigating modern dating as a widow, achieved the biggest opening weekend for a rom-com in UK history, earning £12.3 million. It went on to gross over $140 million globally against a $50 million budget, a remarkable feat given its absence from US cinemas, where it debuted on Peacock.
The summer brought Materialists, an A24 production that sparked fierce debate. Directed by Celine Song, the film featured Dakota Johnson as a matchmaker torn between Pedro Pascal's wealthy broker and Chris Evans's struggling actor. Its fresh, analogue take on modern relationships made it one of the season's most discussed films and became Song's highest-grossing project to date.
Closing the year, Eternity has arrived in cinemas, offering a fantasy twist on the classic love triangle. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, and Miles Teller, the film combines sweeping romance with sharp, British-inflected wit. It has already earned a stellar 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting strong word-of-mouth potential.
Why the Comeback Feels So Sweet for Millennials
The success of these films is particularly poignant for millennials, who came of age during the genre's peak. The late '80s through the 2000s delivered an unparalleled run of classics, from When Harry Met Sally and the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan pairings to Richard Curtis's Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. The noughties continued the trend with hits like 10 Things I Hate About You and 13 Going on 30.
This rich history created high expectations that subsequent years struggled to meet. The 2010s saw few major rom-com releases, with exceptions like Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) and About Time (2013). The genre seemed out of step with an era dominated by dating apps, which replaced traditional 'meet-cute' scenarios with digital interactions.
The Future Looks Brightly Romantic
The 2025 resurgence appears to be more than a fleeting moment. The upcoming Netflix adaptation of Emily Henry's bestselling novel People We Meet on Vacation, set for release in January, has already generated huge online excitement. Early reactions to its trailer have been ecstatic, with fans on social media declaring the return of the classic rom-com.
This new wave of films has succeeded by evolving the formula. They have incorporated contemporary themes—grief, technology, modern economics—while retaining the heart, humour, and wish-fulfilment that define the genre. The critical and commercial performance of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Materialists, and Eternity proves there is a substantial, eager audience ready to fall in love with romantic comedies all over again. For millennials who grew up believing in the magic of the meet-cute, 2025 has been a welcome and long-overdue homecoming.
