Red, White and Royal Blue director Matthew López has a clarification to make for fans of his smash-hit movie about the romance between an English prince and America’s First Son: unfortunately, there is no three-hour cut, as was previously reported. (There never was.) But there are deleted scenes, including one that he knows fans immediately clocked during the trailer. Yes, there’s a reason for that missing Cornetto scene.
The long-awaited film adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s best-selling book hit Prime Video last week and quickly became the no. 1 movie on the streaming platform. Starring Taylor Zakhar Perez as First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine as the UK’s Prince Henry, the movie is already so popular that fans have been clamoring for more, and López is here to provide all the hidden details and secret moments.
Below, the director and screenwriter — also known for his work as a playwright, including the Broadway production The Inheritance — talked extensively to Teen Vogue about his favorite scenes, Galitzine and Perez beating the rumors they didn’t have chemistry, and whether or not we’ll get a Red, White and Royal Blue sequel. Spoilers below.
Teen Vogue: How does it feel now that the film is out in the world and you’re seeing reactions pouring in?
Matthew Lopez: It feels amazing. You know, you always want this, you seldom get this. First of all, I think it’s a testament to the enduring nature of Casey’s story and Casey’s characters. I think the thing that caused people to fall in love with the book is very likely what’s causing them to fall in love with the movie. I’m very grateful that fans of the book have agreed to take the ride…you certainly don’t want to put out a film adaptation of a beloved novel and have fans disappointed. It just feels amazing, especially for me, as a first-time filmmaker, to have my first movie be as lovingly received as it has been this weekend.
TV: Absolutely. So, I was actually at the New York screening at Lincoln Center where you and Casey were, where there were tons of screaming fans. It was so cool to have the opportunity to sit in a theater with fans and watch it, since this is a streaming film, ‘cause that’s the best experience.
ML: That was like being at the Eras concert.
TV: They literally screamed for every supporting character, including David the dog.
ML: Galitzine got upstaged by David the dog. (Laughs.) It was very funny ‘cause there were two screenings going simultaneously. One was the one that you were in, and one was for the Broadway community — it was very important to me because I come from theater. So we had the casts of Some Like It Hot, Kimberly Akimbo, & Juliet, and New York, New York there. So I was going back and forth — I went into the theater with all the fans, it was insane, it was like a rock concert. It was amazing to get this very immediate, full-throated, fully voiced reaction to the film by the people who I knew had a lot to do with the book’s success. And then I would go over to the Broadway room and everyone was having a great time, but it was a little more, you know, sedate.
TV: Yeah, and obviously we’re just talking about a meme there, but I do have to catch myself, ’cause there is a conversation around calling them gay, or calling it a gay rom-com, versus no, let’s make sure we’re elevating Alex’s bisexuality. Because that is an important part of the story. I think you’ve said that that was important to you to keep in the movie as well.
This content was originally published here.
