The Best Romance Movies You Need to See in 2025

Because who doesn't enjoy a good love story?

dakota johnson and pedro pascal dancing together at a wedding in materialists
(Image credit: A24)

Is there anything better than a good love story? Everyone needs to be swept off their feet at least once in their lives, but as we wait for our Mr./Mrs./Mx. Right, romance movies can provide the heart-fluttering feels (and occasional tearjerkers) we need.

So far, 2025's slate of romance films has been filling out with a diverse selection of love stories, from hilarious romantic comedies to heartbreaking dramas to several highly-anticipated queer movies. Below, find the best romance movies of 2025 that are headed to cinemas soon and later this year.

'Wish You Were Here'

Isabelle Fuhrman and Mena Massoud in the 2025 movie 'Wish You Were Here.'

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Release date: January 17

Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jennifer Grey, and Kelsey Grammer

The love story: Make sure to bring tissues for this emotional romance from director Julia Stiles(!), based on Renée Carlino's 2017 novel. After she has a perfect, romantic night with a mysterious stranger named Adam (Mena Massoud), Charlotte's (Isabelle Fuhrman) search for answers uncovers a devastating secret.

WATCH IT

'Marked Men: Rule + Shaw'

Sydney Taylor and chase stokes walk down a city street in the movie marked men

(Image credit: Voltage Pictures)

Release date: January 22

Starring: Chase Stokes, Sydney Taylor, Alexander Ludwig, Ella Balinska, Evan Mock, Matthew Noszka, and Natalie Alyn Lind

The love story: If you have a penchant for sexy franchises like Fifty Shades or After, here's your next guilty pleasure. Shaw Landon (Sydney Taylor) has been in love with Rule Archer (Chase Stokes) since they were teenagers, but thought they could never bridge the good-girl/bad-boy divide. Come for a sexy tattooed Chase Stokes, stay for...a sexy tattooed Chase Stokes.

WATCH IT

'You're Cordially Invited'

will ferrell and reese witherspoon smile while looking over a guest book at a hotel in the movie you're cordially invited

(Image credit: Prime Video)

Release date: January 30 on Prime Video

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Will Ferrell, Meredith Hagner, Geraldine Viswanathan, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, and Jimmy Tatro

The love story: In this rom-com, Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell are on opposite sides of two wedding parties's worst nightmare: The venue has been double-booked. Watch Witherspoon and Ferrell lead their respective sides in the chaotic war for wedding supremacy.

WATCH IT

'Love Me'

A woman (Kristen Stewart) lies on her stomach and holds a pencil and a magazine crossword puzzle, while a man (Steven Yeun) sits next to her and leans in near her face.

(Image credit: Justine Yeung/Sundance Institute)

Release date: January 31

Starring: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun

The love story: This inventive sci-fi film isn't a traditional romance—it follows a love story between two sentient AIs that continue to exist after the end of human civilization. "A buoy (Kristen Stewart) and a satellite (Steven Yeun), with only the internet as their guide, learn what it means to be alive and in love," per the description.

WATCH IT

'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy'

renee zellwegger as bridget jones resting her head on leo woodall's shoulder in bridget jones mad about the boy

(Image credit: Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures)

Release date: February 13 on Peacock

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Isla Fisher, and with Colin Firth and Hugh Grant

The love story: Legendary rom-com heroine Bridget Jones is back for Galentine's Day this year, when she'll receive the And Just Like That... treatment. Recently widowed (sob), the newly single mother will navigate dating for the first time in years, and even strike up a romance with a younger man played by The White Lotus's Leo Woodall.

WATCH IT

'La Dolce Villa'

A father and daughter (Scott Foley as Eric and Maia Reficco as Olivia) speak with a contractor (Simone Luglio as Nino) inside an Italian villa, in La Dolce Villa.

(Image credit: Matteo Graia/Netflix)

Release date: February 13 on Netflix

Starring: Scott Foley, Maia Reficco, Violante Placido, and Giuseppe Futia

The love story: Netflix's V-Day release this year follows a father and daughter having a joint Under the Tuscan Sun moment. Eric (Scott Foley) follows his daughter Olivia (Maia Reficco) to Italy to supervise her renovation of a one-euro villa, and each has their own dreamy summer romance.

WATCH IT

'Black Bag'

cate blanchett whispers in michael fassbender's ear in a darkly lit room in the movie black bag

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Release date: March 14

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Burke

The love story: Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as a super-hot, devoted spy couple in a Steven Soderbergh movie? Sold. This action-drama sees their loving marriage be tested when one of them (Blanchett) is suspected of treason.

WATCH IT

'The Life List'

Sofia Carson as Alex and Kyle Allen as Brad, standing in front of gated NYC buildings, in The Life List.

(Image credit: Nicole Rivelli/Netflix)

Release date: March 28 on Netflix

Starring: Sofia Carson, Kyle Allen, Sebastian de Souza, and Connie Britton

The love story: When her deceased mother (Connie Britton) tasks her with completing a "Life List" to get her inheritance, Alex (Sofia Carson) revisits her childhood dreams and gets closer to the will executor (Kyle Allen), making sure she checks off the entire list.

WATCH IT

'A Nice Indian Boy'

Two men (Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff) are seen lying on a bed, with colored glass ornaments around them, in 'A Nice Indian Boy.'

(Image credit: BFI London Film Festival)

Release date: April 4

Starring: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, and Harish Patel

The love story: Out gay doctor Naveen (Karan Soni) has always kept his dating life separate from his family...until he falls head over heels with his eventual fiancé Jay (Jonathan Groff). This queer rom-com follows the pair and Naveen's family as they come together to throw the Indian wedding of their dreams (complete with tons of Bollywood references).

WATCH IT

'The Wedding Banquet'

kelly marie tran lily gladstone bowen yang and Han Gi-chan dance at a bar in the movie the wedding banquet

(Image credit: Bleecker Street)

Release date: April 18

Starring: Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Bowen Yang, Han Gi-chan, Joan Chen, and Youn Yuh-jung

The love story: Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) and Lee (Lily Gladstone), and Min (Han Gi-chan) and Chris (Bowen Yang), are two queer couples facing financial and immigration issues while living in Seattle. So what better way to solve everything than a wedding plot? Follow the hijinks ahead of Angela and Min's fake traditional Korean wedding in this loose remake of the '90s movie of the same name.

WATCH IT

'Lost in Starlight'

Four polaroids of a cartoon man and woman taking a selfie, posing with food, and kissing, in a promo image for the movie 'Lost in Starlight.'

(Image credit: Netflix)

Release date: May 30 on Netflix

Starring: Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung

The love story: This Korean romance movie sounds absolutely adorable, telling the love story between a scientist dreaming of the stars and a down-to-earth musician (Hong Kyung). When they meet right before Nan-young's (Kim Tae-ri) space voyage, the pair "embark on the longest-ever long-distance relationship—one that bridges Earth and Mars."

WATCH IT

'Materialists'

dakota johnson and chris evans having a conversation at an outdoor wedding in a still from the movie materialists

(Image credit: A24)

Release date: June 13

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Marin Ireland, Louisa Jacobson, Sawyer Spielberg, and Zoë Winters

The love story: After her Oscar-nominated debut Past Lives, filmmaker Celine Song helms this movie about another complicated love triangle. Inspired by Song's past work as a matchmaker, Dakota Johnson plays luxury matchmaker Lucy, who has a handle on figuring out other people's love lives but struggles to work out her own when she meets a wealthy older man (Pedro Pascal) and reconnects with a former flame (Chris Evans). This one looks at love from many angles—value, marriage versus romance, cynicism, and earnestness—giving you much to think about, while swooning you along the way.

WATCH THE TRAILER

'My Oxford Year'

Corey Mylchreest as Jamie and Sofia Carson as Anna in My Oxford Year.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

Release date: August 1 on Netflix

Starring: Sofia Carson and Corey Mylchreest

The love story: When Anna (Sofia Carson) wins a scholarship to fulfill her lifelong goal of studying at Oxford University for a year, she falls for a charming and clever local (Corey Mylchreest). Their romance will change both of their lives in this adaptation of Julia Whelan's 2018 novel of the same name.

'Wicked: For Good'

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, in 'Wicked Part One'

(Image credit: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)

Releases: November 21

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum

The love story: Whether you're a Gelphie believer or not (if not...what are you doing?), the second half of Wicked is when the Glinda-Fiyero-Elphaba love triangle comes to a head. Prepare to have "As Long As You're Mine" stuck in your head for all December 2025.

'The History of Sound'

josh oconnor and paul mescal laugh with each other while both wearing suits in the period piece the history of sound

(Image credit: Mubi)

Release date: TBA on Mubi; Premiered at Cannes Film Festival in May

Starring: Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor

The love story: An LGBTQ+ period romance in which Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor fall in love amid the New England folk music scene circa WWI? Yes, please!

'Love, Brooklyn'

andre holland and dewanda wise laughing on a couch in the movie love brooklyn

(Image credit: Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival)

Release date: TBA; Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January

Starring: André Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, Roy Wood Jr., Cassandra Freeman, and Cadence Reese

The love story: In this highly anticipated indie film, André Holland, Nicole Beharie, and DeWanda Wise play "three longtime Brooklynites navigate careers, love, loss, and friendship against the rapidly changing landscape of their beloved city," per the film's description.

'Pillion'

Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard in 'Pillion' walking down a london street

(Image credit: Courtesy of Cannes)

Release date: TBA; Premiered at Cannes Film Festival in May

Starring: Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård, Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Jake Shears, Paul Tallis, and Anthony Welsh

The love story: Straight-laced gay man Colin (Harry Melling) steps out of his comfort zone when he enters a BDSM relationship with biker-gang leader Ray (Alexander Skarsgård). Rave reviews from Cannes called the film "sweet" and "delightfully tender," even with its very explicit scenes.

'Plainclothes'

tom blyth rests his head on another man's shoulder in the movie plainclothes

(Image credit: Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival)

Release date: TBA; Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January

Starring: Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey

The love story: In this forbidden romance based on true events, an undercover police officer (Tom Blyth) struggling to fit in is tasked with entrapping and arresting gay men in 1990s New York...until he falls in love with someone he meets on the job (Russell Tovey).

Culture Writer

Quinci LeGardye is a Culture Writer at Marie Claire. She currently lives in her hometown of Los Angeles after periods living in NYC and Albuquerque, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. In 2021, she joined Marie Claire as a contributor, becoming a full-time writer for the brand in 2024. She contributes day-to-day-content covering television, movies, books, and pop culture in general. She has also written features, profiles, recaps, personal essays, and cultural criticism for outlets including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Vulture, The A.V. Club, Catapult, and others. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her watching the latest K-drama, or giving a concert performance in her car.