A film based on Abigail Hing Wen’s novel Loveboat, Taipei will stream on Paramount+ this summer, Deadline reports.
Wen’s young adult romance, published in 2020 by HarperTeen, follows Ever, an 18-year-old woman who becomes involved in a love quadrangle while studying in a summer language and culture program in Taiwan. A critic for Kirkus praised the novel as “an entertaining and heartfelt debut that takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of romance and self-discovery.”
Wen published a sequel to the book, Loveboat Reunion, in 2022, and a third book, Loveboat Forever, is scheduled for release later this year.
The film adaptation, titled Love in Taipei, is written by Charlie Oh and directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?). Ashley Liao (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) stars as Ever, alongside actors Ross Butler (To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You), Chelsea Zhang (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Nico Hiraga (Moxie), and Cindy Cheung (13 Reasons Why). Wen and Butler are among the film’s executive producers.
Wen announced the news of the film’s acquisition by Paramount+ on Instagram, writing, “A heartfelt thanks to all the talented people who have made this film possible, the booksellers and publishers who have championed the books and the readers who have shared and supported these stories. I’m humbled to be part of an awakening and a movement, and so grateful for all of you.”
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
