Add these gay romantic films to your list.
Gay romances — and gay rom-coms, specifically — are finally getting their well-deserved time in the spotlight, thanks in part to very popular films like Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue, among other exciting releases in recent years.
If you’ve seen the film starring Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez as unlikely lovers, can’t wait for the now-official Red, White & Royal Wedding sequel, and are searching for other gay rom-coms that are either similar or well worth a watch, here are suggestions to add to your queue ASAP.
‘A Nice Indian Boy’
– YouTube
A Nice Indian Boy checks every single box when it comes to a fun, lighthearted, family-inclusive queer rom-com between two protagonists who may seem unlikely to become a couple… And yet, these two are perfect for each other.
Starring Karan Soni as Naveen Gavaskar and Jonathan Groff as Jay Kurundkar, A Nice Indian Boy is a great place to start on these recommendations.
‘Call Me By Your Name’
Call Me By Your Name | Official Trailer HD (2017)
This should come as no surprise since Call Me By Your Name was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed films of 2017, but if you loved Red, White & Royal Blue, you’ll love this one, too.
The story follows Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) who is vacationing with his family in Italy and falls for the 24-year-old graduate student Oliver (Armie Hammer) while working as an intern for Elio’s father. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, this is an emotional and poignant exploration of love and self-discovery that received a lot of acclaim for its performances and storytelling.
‘The Wedding Banquet’ (2025)
– YouTube
Andrew Ahn’s 2025 remake of The Wedding Banquet, starring Bowen Yang as Chris, Lily Gladstone as Lee, Kelly Marie Tran as Angela Chen, and Han Gi-chan as Min, is an absolute delight for rom-com fans. This beloved classic story also gets an exciting update without losing any of the core elements that made this story successful in the first place.
‘The Thing About Harry’
The Thing About Harry | Official Trailer | Freeform
2020’s The Thing About Harry follows a similar enemies-to-lovers plot as Red, White & Royal Blue. High school enemies Sam Basjili (Jake Borelli) and Harry Turpin (Niko Terho) are forced to drive together to a friend’s engagement party that takes place on Valentine’s Day. Sam is a young gay man, whereas Harry used to be the popular jock back in the day.
Upon finding out that Harry has come out of the closet, Sam interprets the occasion as an opportunity to seek out a relationship. The chemistry between the lead actors adds to its charm, and what some describe as “cheesy rom-com formula” is in full effect here to those who love the genre.
‘Boys’
Boys Trailer – Wolfe edition
The Dutch queer romance Jongens, translated to Boys in English, is an underrated film that follows Sieger (Gijs Blom) falling in love with Marc (Ko Zandvliet) over a summer holiday.
The film takes the typical self-acceptance story and turns it into an incredible piece depicting internal struggles that features all-star performances and amazing direction. It showcases the pressures of coming to terms with sexuality and how influence can pressure one’s surroundings, all while displaying the positive power of love.
‘Love, Simon’
Love, Simon | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX
Love, Simon is a 2018 film that follows 17-year-old Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) on his quest for love, the only thing holding him back is his internal struggle with his identity. He begins an anonymous relationship online with another closeted classmate known as “Blue.”
Overall, Love, Simon garnered praise for its representation of LGBTQ+ characters and helped increase visibility within mainstream cinema. The film’s success also led to a spin-off television series on Hulu called Love, Victor — so, if you can’t get enough when you’re done with the film, there’s an entire follow-up TV show out there for your binging needs.
‘Fire Island’
FIRE ISLAND | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures
Fire Island is a 2022 film following a group of friends, Noah (Joel Kim Booster), Howie (Bowen Yang), Luke (Matt Rogers), Keegan (Tomás Matos), and Max (Torian Miller) who go to Fire Island to share a house with their “house mother” Erin (Margaret Cho).
While on vacation, Howie meets Charlie (James Scully) and strikes a fancy for him. Noah takes it upon himself to play matchmaker. Along the way, he has his own escapades and finds himself in a love-hate with Will (Conrad Ricamora), and the drama that ensues is nothing short of entertaining.
‘Handsome Devil’
Handsome Devil | Official Trailer
Handsome Devil is a 2016 coming-of-age film set in an Irish boarding school following the unlikely budding friendship between Ned (Fionn O’Shea) and Connor (RWRB’s very own Nicholas Galitzine).
Directed by John Butler, Galitzine takes on the role of the school’s all-star rugby player in this film, who grapples with his shared love of music with Ned. Although the relationship between Ned and Connor isn’t exactly romantic, it still has similar tensions, payoffs, and evidences how opposites attract.
‘Bros’
Bros | Official Trailer [HD]
2022 was a huge year for gay rom-coms, and Bros was another major release that even received a theatrical release in actual movie theaters.
The relationship between Aaron (Luke Macfarlane) and Bobby (Billy Eichner) is absolutely worth a watch if you’re someone who loved Red, White & Royal Blue. The arc between Bobby and Aaron follows a similar enemies-to-lovers trope as most other rom-coms, and the brash and upfront nature in which many stereotypes are addressed (such as the struggles of gay men who are dating and attempting to have a monogamous relationship) was a hit-or-miss for certain audiences.
‘Alex Strangelove’
Alex Strangelove | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
Alex Strangelove is a 2018 rom-com directed by Craig Johnson. It follows titular character Alex Strangelove (Daniel Doheny), a high schooler on a quest to lose his virginity to his girlfriend, Claire (Madeleine Weinstein). The problem? He meets the handsome and charming Elliott (Antonio Marziale), a gay kid from another side of town who sends him on a rollercoaster journey of figuring out his sexual identity.
Without giving anything away, the film received generally positive reviews for its depiction of sexuality and, more importantly, how it shows that such urges during high school happen to all kinds of high schoolers — straight or otherwise.
‘Single All the Way’
Single All The Way | Official Trailer | Netflix
Although more of a seasonal holiday film, Netflix’s Single All the Way is absolutely a gay rom-com that hits all the right spots. The plot follows Peter (Michael Urie) who is tired of his family’s constant pestering into his love life. He convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to pose as his boyfriend for the holiday season, but their plan goes awry when Peter’s family suspects their relationship is fake, though Nick discovers his feelings might not be fake after all.
The film also stars the legendary actresses Kathy Najimy and Jennifer Coolidge and is the perfect gay rom-com for the holidays (or any time you need a heartwarming film).
‘Glitter & Doom’
– YouTube
2024’s Glitter & Doom tells the story of Glitter (Alex Diaz), a “carefree circus performer,” and Doom (Alan Cammish), a musician who finds himself struggling. After meeting each other and going on a bit of a journey together, these two characters fall in love to the sound of some incredible music by Indigo Girls.
This article originally appeared on Out: 12 movies to watch if you loved ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’
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