2025 Had The Potential To Be The Biggest Year For Romcoms In Over A Decade

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As a huge rom-com fan, it’s pretty clear to me that the golden age of the genre was definitely in the past – the 2000s really seemed to be the end of an era. Now, they’re not the box office draws they used to be. Honestly, what we get now are mostly smaller-scale films, and the rare big one relies on having a really fantastic cast with amazing chemistry to try and get people excited.

While these moments of classic rom-com brilliance appear, they also highlight why the genre faded in popularity. Recent successful romantic comedies, such as Crazy Rich Asians – often considered one of the best ever – succeed by taking the familiar rom-com formula and refreshing it for today’s viewers, who might find older films feel dated.

Modern romantic comedies are better than the old ones, avoiding tired tropes. However, they haven’t become hugely popular, so they’ve stayed somewhat hidden and haven’t launched a big comeback for the genre. It’s especially frustrating because this year had a lot of promising rom-com releases, but they didn’t ignite a new wave of popularity.

The Biggest 2025 Romcoms Were Disappointing Despite Their Stellar Casts

The release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy just before Valentine’s Day seemed like a perfect fit, and initially, it was! After a long break, the movie’s return was a huge success at the box office. Critics also enjoyed it, giving it an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

As with many films released today, it quickly faded from public discussion with the arrival of newer movies. Interestingly, two other big romantic comedies didn’t quite deliver on expectations. Despite featuring stars like Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, Materialists received mixed reactions from both audiences and critics.

While Materialists’ ending feels like something from a classic 2000s romantic comedy, it didn’t quite reach the same heights as director Celine Song’s previous film, Past Lives. Her latest movie, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, is even more disappointing. The romance feels underdeveloped, and there’s a noticeable lack of chemistry between Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell.

I really enjoyed Materialists – it felt fresh and current for a dating movie, and even though it ended happily, like a lot of these kinds of films, I was still bummed it didn’t do well. Honestly, I was hoping A Big Bold Beautiful Journey would be the rom-com revival we’ve all been waiting for, but it just didn’t click. The characters felt flat, and it totally squandered a really interesting idea. It’s disappointing when a movie with so much potential falls short.

Even Romance Movies With Dark Humor Underperformed In 2025

Traditional comedies made purely for laughs aren’t really made anymore, but dark comedies still do well with both audiences and critics. That’s why a film like Together, a unique horror romance, seemed poised for a big 2025 release. However, despite strong critical acclaim, it didn’t become a major box office success.

Despite featuring a star-studded cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Allison Janney, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, and Ncuti Gatwa, The Roses didn’t resonate with audiences or critics. Its exaggerated portrayal of divorce failed to gain traction. Similarly, Oh, Hi!, a darkly comedic take on Gen Z relationships, also didn’t achieve much commercial or critical success.

The Traditional Romcom Formula Might Never Work Again

Most fans of romantic comedies agree that Splitsville is the year’s funniest love story. The movie stars Adria Arjona and Kyle Marvin as a couple who try a break, and both end up seeing other people. Things get complicated when one of them also interferes in his best friend’s marriage, but ultimately they realize they’re still in love and work things out.

Among Dakota Johnson’s romantic comedies, Splitsville stands out because it follows a familiar, classic romcom formula. While it delivers a happy ending, the film also offers a somewhat skeptical look at love and relationships, shown through the beliefs of its main characters. It’s possible that the way people generally feel about love today has made the traditional romcom approach feel outdated.

The classic rom-com storyline – where two people meet and improve each other’s lives, then overcome obstacles to find happiness together – might feel a bit too hopeful for many viewers today. Because so many people approach new relationships with skepticism, romantic comedies can seem naive and even ridiculous, which is why stories with more complex or cynical themes are gaining popularity.

The More Serious Romance Movies Are Generating Oscars Buzz

While traditional romantic comedies aren’t as commercially successful as they once were and often don’t get the recognition they deserve, romance as a genre is still thriving. A perfect example is last year’s Academy Award winner, Anora, which could have easily been a romcom if it hadn’t included more serious, dramatic elements.

One of the year’s most acclaimed films is Hamnet, which received several Golden Globe nominations, including for Best Picture – Drama, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Director. The film is a moving love story centered around the creation of Shakespeare’s famous play, Hamlet, and its success with award nominations shows that audiences still appreciate well-made romantic dramas.

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2025-12-11 00:31