There was a time when romantic comedies ruled popular culture.
Films like Notting Hill, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Bridget Jones’s Diary shaped how a generation imagined love, turning witty banter, grand gestures and happily-ever-afters into Hollywood’s most reliable formula.
Then they quietly disappeared.
As superhero franchises, cinematic universes and action spectacles took over multiplexes, the romantic comedy was pushed to the margins.
Studios increasingly viewed the genre as a financial gamble, favouring billion-dollar blockbusters over intimate stories about two people falling in love.
Yet after years in the background, the rom-com is making an unexpected comeback.
Recent theatrical successes such as Anyone but You and streaming hits like The Idea of You have reminded Hollywood that audiences never stopped loving romance. They simply found it elsewhere.
Perhaps the more interesting question is not why rom-coms have returned, but why they are resonating now.
For much of the past decade, audiences were immersed in stories shaped by crisis. The pandemic, political polarization and economic uncertainty fuelled dystopian dramas, crime thrillers and apocalyptic worlds. Romantic comedies offered something increasingly rare: optimism.
A 2021 study by the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics found that audiences actively seek “feel-good” films for emotional uplift, with romantic comedies ranking among the genres most strongly associated with comfort and positive emotion.
Streaming has also transformed the genre’s fortunes.
For decades, romantic comedies lived or died at the box office, often disappearing from cinemas within weeks if ticket sales disappointed. Today, platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime measure success differently. A film that attracts subscribers, encourages repeat viewing or keeps audiences engaged has already justified its place in the catalogue.
That shift has been especially kind to rom-coms.
Unlike action films that rely on spectacle and surprise, romantic comedies reward familiarity. Their appeal lies in memorable characters, sparkling dialogue and stories viewers happily revisit. Streaming has turned them into comfort viewing, allowing classic favourites to find new audiences while giving newer releases time to build devoted followings long after their premiere.
The genre itself has evolved as well.
Modern romantic comedies no longer present love as a flawless fairy tale. Instead, relationships unfold alongside careers, family pressures, cultural identity and personal growth. Films such as Crazy Rich Asians and Wedding Season have broadened the genre’s perspective, proving that romance resonates across cultures while reflecting the complexities of contemporary life.
Audiences have noticed the difference. Discussing the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, one Reddit user wrote that the characters “have grown up, they feel very real.”
The renewed popularity of rom-coms extends beyond film. In 2023, “rom-com core” emerged as a social media trend, with TikTok’s #romcomcore attracting millions of views. Fashion, music and iconic scenes from films like 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless and She’s All That became sources of nostalgia and inspiration for a new generation.
The new wave of romantic comedies may not recreate the magic of every classic. But it doesn’t have to.
Instead, today’s films are proving that the genre can evolve without losing what made audiences fall in love with it in the first place.
After years in the shadows, the rom-com has rediscovered its audience -- and perhaps, just in time, audiences have rediscovered their appetite for hope.
Farna Omar Priyoshi is a student writer exploring neuroscience, cinema, and the stories that make us think and feel.