Symptomatic of our time, many cultural phenomena are now being born on social networks. Red, white and royal blue is one of them. This successful book, recognized by readers aged 15 to 25, is now becoming a movie offered on the Prime Video platform.
The premise, which is not trivial, undoubtedly contributes to its success: an affair between the son of the president of the United States and the prince of England. Its author, 32-year-old Casey McQuiston, wrote the first lines of this story in 2016, the year of the presidential election, when Donald Trump captured the White House.
Three years later, in May 2019, the book was published. The book is gaining popularity during the pandemic, especially thanks to TikTok. Many users in the social network – very often young women – share their enthusiasm and recommend the novel to their subscribers.
The #RedWhiteAndRoyalBlue hashtag quickly became a haven for a growing community of fans. If the phenomenon was born in the United States, it then spread to the rest of the world, especially in France, where the translation – under the name My dear king prince – Available in bookstores from September 2021.
A few months earlier, in February, the author found his novel on the prestigious bestseller list. New York Times. In October 2022, more than a year ago, it ranked seventh. But after the pandemic was postponed, how can we explain such success?
Red, white and royal blue Finding a place in bookstores as sales of LGBT+ literature explodes. In an article published in March 2022THE New York Times reveals that 850,000 copies of gay romances will be sold in 2021. This is twice as much as last year.
In five years, these sales increased by 740%. And that’s just for the United States. This phenomenon can also be observed through other similar success books Animal stop – adapted this time as a Netflix series.
From a sociological point of view, this strong demand can be interpreted as a response to the censorship of LGBT+ books and movies in schools in various US states. It also coincides with the enactment of many homophobic and transphobic laws in the country.
Film adaptation Red, white and royal blue It has been announced since the year of release, 2019. But the name of director Matthew Lopez – who is signing his first film – won’t be revealed until October 2021.
The progress of the project on TikTok is closely monitored by the fan community. When Prime Video uploaded the first trailer, many users filmed their reactions. Today, these videos have more than 667 million views.
It goes without saying that The Red, White and Royal Blue was one of the most anticipated films of summer 2023. For director Matthew Lopez, this enthusiasm was the driving force behind the film’s conception. “It didn’t escape me that a lot of people were waiting for me in the corner“, he told AlloCiné.
“I relied on the love of the story and the belief that I knew how to tell ithe continues. I wanted to make sure that at the end of the movie people feel the same way they did when they read the book. This was the goal I set for myself by bringing this novel to life..”
Interview by Thomas Desroches, Paris, July 2023.
Red, White and Royal Blue is available on Netflix.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
