Red, White & Royal Blue fans rejoice as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) announces a Rated-R classification for the upcoming Prime Video film adaptation. The rating comes as a result of “language, some sexual content, and partial nudity” present in the movie. Fans of Casey McQuiston’s New York Times bestselling novel celebrated the news on social media, lauding the film’s commitment to staying true to the book’s content.
A Royal Affair: Staying True to the Source Material
The highly anticipated gay romance, set to debut on Prime Video on August 11, stars Taylor Zakhar Perez (The Kissing Booth) as Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella) as Prince Henry. Adapted from McQuiston’s novel, the story follows the complicated relationship between Alex, the son of America’s first female president, played by Uma Thurman, and his royal counterpart from the UK.
The synopsis details the pair’s long-running feud, which escalates into a public altercation that threatens US-British relations. In an effort to save face, their families and handlers force the two rivals into a staged truce. However, as their icy relationship begins to thaw, the friction between them sparks something deeper than they ever anticipated.
A Star-Studded Cast and Crew Bring the Story to Life
In addition to the lead actors, Red, White & Royal Blue features a talented ensemble cast including Clifton Collins Jr., Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Stephen Fry, Ellie Bamber, Thomas Flynn, Malcolm Atobrah, Akshay Khanna, Sharon D. Clarke, Aneesh Sheth, and Juan Castano. Produced by Greg Berlanti, the film marks the directorial debut of Tony winner Matthew López, who also penned the screenplay.
Casey McQuiston shared their excitement about the long-awaited adaptation in a statement to Deadline, saying, “It has been a thrill to hand this story over to Berlanti/Schechter, Amazon and our fearless leader Matthew López and watch them make so many smart, bold, thoughtful choices to bring it to life.” Both Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine expressed their enthusiasm for the roles on Instagram, vowing not to let fans down.