Amazon Prime’s romantic comedy ‘The Love Hypothesis’, starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, may look like a straightforward fake-dating romance, but the film has a surprising connection to ‘Star Wars,’ writes Variety.
The film is based on Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 bestselling novel, which originally began as ‘Star Wars’ fan fiction centred on Kylo Ren and Rey. Hazelwood later reworked the story into a standalone novel, removing the direct references to the franchise while retaining several subtle connections.
Director Claire Scanlon said she was unaware of the story’s fan-fiction origins when she joined the project. She also admitted that she did not initially understand its popularity on BookTok.
Bateman’s character, Adam Carlsen, is the clearest Kylo Ren connection. His intimidating personality, “Dr Evil” nickname and almost entirely black wardrobe mirror the ‘Star Wars’ villain. Even his office follows the same dark colour palette.
The character’s name is another deliberate reference. Scanlon confirmed that Hazelwood named Adam after Adam Driver, who played Kylo Ren in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy.
The film also uses music from the franchise. John Williams’ Kylo Ren theme appears during a scene in which Adam enters a coffee shop, with the music highlighting the fear he creates among those around him. The theme returns later when Adam confronts a colleague.
Fans have also spotted what appears to be a brief use of Rey’s theme, although Scanlon was unsure whether that was intentional.
Several visual details add to the connection. Olive, played by Reinhart, often wears her hair in a high bun resembling Rey’s signature hairstyle. A scene in which Adam carries an injured Olive also recalls the moment Kylo carries Rey in the ‘Star Wars’ films, although Scanlon said she could not confirm whether it was a deliberate reference.
Adam’s comments about never intending to become “evil” also echo Kylo Ren’s backstory. In the film, he describes having a cruel mentor with powerful connections, a detail that comes directly from Hazelwood’s novel.
There are even smaller references. Adam calls Olive a “rebel”, potentially recalling Rey’s connection to the Resistance. Olive’s red, blue and green outfits have also prompted fan theories about lightsaber colours, although Scanlon said the choice was not intentional.
Another unusual connection comes from the film’s casting. Bateman is married to Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy. Scanlon, however, said the relationship had nothing to do with his casting.
The film’s opening song, Gracie Abrams’ ‘Mess It Up’, has also attracted attention because Abrams is the daughter of J.J. Abrams, who directed two films in the sequel trilogy. Scanlon said that connection was pointed out by fans online rather than deliberately planned by her.
While many of the references remain subtle or accidental, ‘The Love Hypothesis’ clearly carries traces of the ‘Star Wars’ fan fiction that inspired Hazelwood’s original story.
