Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for its upcoming romance film Lonely Planet, starring Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth. The film, written and directed by Susannah Grant, is set to premiere on the streaming platform on October 11, 2024.

Lonely Planet follows the story of a reclusive novelist, played by Dern, who attends a prestigious writer’s retreat in Morocco in an attempt to overcome her writer’s block. While at the retreat, she meets a young man, portrayed by Hemsworth. What begins as a casual acquaintanceship soon evolves into a transformative and passionate romance, marking a key theme of May-December relationships—where significant age differences exist between romantic partners. 

The trend of such romances has been popular in recent films, including Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn and starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, which premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. Additionally, Todd Haynes’ dark comedy May December, featuring Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman and Charles Melton, garnered significant attention at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving multiple Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.

Other films highlighting this theme include Prime Video’s The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, and Netflix’s A Family Affair, featuring Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King.

Joining Dern and Hemsworth in Lonely Planet are Diana Silvers, Younès Boucif, Adriano Giannini and Rachida Brakni. The film is produced by Grant, Sarah Timberman and Liza Chasin of 3dot Productions, with Brendan Ferguson, Corinne Weber and Margaret Chernin serving as executive producers.

This project continues the collaboration between Netflix and 3dot Productions, which previously produced Anatomy of a Scandal for the streaming service. It also marks a reunion with Grant, who co-created Netflix’s critically acclaimed miniseries Unbelievable.