Anyone But You becomes the highest-grossing rom-com since 2016 classic

The era of rom-coms is being resurrected by the unsuspecting 2023 movie Anyone But You – with it making waves since the release of a British classic in the genre from 2016.

Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell‘s Anyone But You had fans excited to see a new rom-com in theaters amid the craze for superhero movies, franchise continuations, and more. The movie focused on what every die-hard fan gravitates toward: frenemies turned lovers.

Bea and Ben absolutely loathe each other, but they both find themselves in a predicament that warrants joining forces. The two pretend to be dating to help get rid of an ex and to help enchant a possible love interest. As the rom-com trope goes, they inadvertently begin to realize the sparks between them.

The 2023 movie has amassed a following and interest despite its rocky start with promotion. It has led it to be on par with a rom-com staple.

Anyone But You gains success in the genre

Anyone But You has become the highest-grossing movie since the release of Bridget Jones’s Baby in 2016, amassing $100million globally since its release.

Rom-coms have hit a plateau over recent years as other genres have taken the spotlight. Fans all remember hits like 13 Going on 30, Just Wright, Leap Year, and more. In 2016, the third installment of Bridget Jones’s Diary was released.

It continued Bridget’s journey as she and Mark Darcy are no longer together and he’s now married. She’s back to square one trying to figure out her love life and her personal life. Everything changes when she goes to a music festival and has a one-night stand. It just so happens that a few days later, she rekindles her passion with Mark and also has a one-night stand.

Her rendevous leads her to get pregnant, but unaware of who the father is. Her music festival man is love software millionaire Jack Qwant. Bridget is once again thrust into a complex love triangle between her old love, and a man technically a perfect match for her.

From a $35million budget, Bridget Jones’s Baby made $212million at the box office. In rom-com history, the first highest-grossing movie was Nia Vardalos’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). It earned $241.4 million at the box office.

Since Bridget Jones’s Baby, there hasn’t been a successful box office rom-com since – until Anyone But You. The R-rated movie made $100million since its December release. Is this the resurgence of the genre? Fans can hope so.