Summer may be over, but Emily Bader and Tom Blyth are just getting ready for their annual trip abroad in the first trailer for Netflix's much-anticipa
Summer may be over, but Emily Bader and Tom Blyth are just getting ready for their annual trip abroad in the first trailer for Netflix’s much-anticipated romance film, People We Meet on Vacation. The footage brings longtime best friends Poppy (Bader) and Alex (Blyth) to life straight from the pages of the BookTok sensation by Emily Henry. It provides a fun look at the differing personalities between the two travel companions, with Poppy being the more free-spirited of the pair, much to the more routine-based Alex’s chagrin. Despite their differences, they’re left to wonder if everyone around them is right, and they do make the perfect romantic match for each other.
In the trailer, Poppy is introduced as a carefree soul, dancing and singing along to the music in her headphones while waiting for her luggage at the airport. She doesn’t have a care in the world about who could be watching her until Alex pops up, much to her shock. Although they live in different cities, they come together every summer to visit idyllic locales, try delicious foods, and experience other wonders from around the world. Poppy is all for “winging it” and creating memories from whatever they come across on their journey in defiance of Alex’s carefully planned itinerary. All the while, they look the part of an adorable couple to the point that even strangers ask if they’re an item. There’s a noticeable, if unlikely chemistry between them, whether they’re sharing a bed or relaxing on the beach, that leaves the impression they’ll end the vacation as more than friends.
Behind the camera for People We Meet on Vacation is Brett Haley, whose last filmmaking effort was also on Netflix with the coming-of-age teen drama All Together Now in 2020, starring Moana‘s Auli’i Cravalho. He directed from a screenplay penned by Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon, and Nunzio Randazzo and got to work with a star-studded cast featuring Sarah Catherine Hook, Lucien Laviscount, Miles Heizer, Jameela Jamil, Tommy Do, Lukas Gage, Alice Lee, Molly Shannon, and Alan Ruck, in addition to Bader and Blyth. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Haley likened the book to other classic romantic comedies that put the heartfelt love stories first and organically create humor around them.
“The book made me believe in love again—in a way that felt real, grounded, and deeply inspiring. It reminded me of my favorite romantic comedies: When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Say Anything—films that were funny and romantic, but never fluffy or shallow. They were honest, character-driven stories where heart always came first. For me, this adaptation is a chance to create a throwback romantic comedy—one that delivers everything we want from the genre, but in a way that feels earned, honest, and alive with real emotion.”
‘People We Meet on Vacation’ Has the Author’s Seal of Approval
Netflix is no stranger to book adaptations or rom-coms, but People We Meet on Vacation is shaping up as one of the streamer’s most anticipated. Henry is a well-known name in romance with six novels to her name, and this story, in particular, has earned widespread acclaim in addition to its online buzz, becoming a New York Times bestseller and winning the Goodreads Choice Award for Romance in 2021. For what it’s worth, the author gave the film a huge thumbs up, particularly for the work of Bader and Blyth. “I loved it more every single time,” she told Tudum about the chemistry read between the My Lady Jane and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes stars. “The very first time, I was laughing out loud, and I got so emotional by the end.” Also speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, Emily shared how her first screening of the film had filled her with confidence about how readers will react to Netflix’s feature-length take.
“I know how much the readers are really attached to this story, and I’ve just always wanted to make sure that whatever the end product was, it was something that they would be thrilled with, and it was so clear to me [after that first watch] that they would be. By the end, I felt so emotional and I even cried a little bit. I’ve just kind of existed in that state of peace and excitement since then.”
People We Meet on Vacation premieres on Netflix on January 9, 2026. Check out the trailer in the player above.
Release Date
January 9, 2026
Director
Brett Haley
Writers
Yulin Kuang
Producers
Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner
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Sarah Catherine Hook
Sarah
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