Prime Video's The Love Hypothesis Rotten Tomatoes Score Gets Official Audience Verdict For New Star Wars Counterpart

Published Sep 24, 2026, 1:51 PM EDT Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour. Now that The Love Hypothesis has been released, viewers have made their opinions clear about Prime Video's new rom-com on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on Ali Hazelwood's 2021 novel, the story originated as a fan fiction about Star Wars' Rey and Kylo Ren. Now Prime Video has adapted The Love Hypothesis, with Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman playing characters who start fake-dating as a way to prove that Reinhart's Olive no longer has a crush on a boy her friend wants to date. Following its September 23 release date on Prime Video, audiences have taken to Rotten Tomatoes to give The Love Hypothesis a score of 78% on the Popcornmeter. Several fans acknowledged that the adaptation made changes from the book, but it didn't detract from the final product. The movie is also being called funny and entertaining, with one viewer going so far as to say that Prime Video should be the exclusive home of book-to-screen adaptations since the streamer continues to do a great job on this front. Not everyone was satisfied with the film, though. Some viewers called it a disappointment and claimed the pacing felt rushed, with others choosing not to put blame on the cast, since they did the best they could with the material they were given. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes aligns with the sentiment from critics, who gave The Love Hypothesis a score of 76%. Official reviews have called the rom-com smart, funny and heartfelt, with critics praising Reinhart and Bateman's on-screen chemistry. Some of the more negative reactions criticized the script, similar to what audiences have felt as well. Reinhart is best known for starring on the CW series Riverdale for seven seasons. After the Archie Comics adaptation ended in 2023, the actress went on to appear in movies like American Sweatshop and Forbidden Fruits, and the TV show Hal & Harper. Meanwhile, Bateman's credits include Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and Da Vinci's Demons. Their co-stars in The Love Hypothesis are Rachel Marsh, Nicholas Duvernay, Jaboukie Young-White, Arty Froushan and Aadi Maaj. Claire Scanlon directed the film after helming movies like Set It Up, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend and The People We Hate at the Wedding, and producing The Wrecking Crew. She's also directed episodes of St. Denis Medical, Palm Royale, Abbott Elementary, The Good Place, Black-ish, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family and The Office. Scanlon's first feature-length project since 2022 was written by screenwriter Sarah Rothschild and produced by Elizabeth Cantillon and Jonathan Golfman. The Love Hypothesis is starting off with solid reviews and is already No. 1 on Prime Video's Top 10 chart in the United States, ahead of other originals like Neagley, Reacher, Sterling Point and Off Campus. Release Date September 23, 2026 Director Claire Scanlon Writers Sarah Rothschild Producers Elizabeth Cantillon Cast Lili Reinhart Olive Smith Tom Bateman Dr. Adam Carlsen The Love Hypothesis follows biology PhD candidate Olive Smith and renowned professor Dr. Adam Carlsen as they navigate a fake relationship. As they pursue their calculated theories on love, their professional and personal lives become increasingly complicated. Main Genre Romance Executive Producer(s) Ali Hazelwood, Catherine Hagedorn, Lili Reinhart