Madelaine Petsch and Gavin Casalegno have been cast as the leads in the film adaptation of Isabelle Ronin's popular Wattpad romance Chasing Red. Directed by Mackenzie Munro, production is set to begin in early 2026 in Saudi Arabia's AlUla region. Amazon Prime Video has acquired rights for several territories.
The adaptation of Chasing Red, which has garnered 261 million reads on Wattpad and ranks as its second most popular English-language title, follows straight-A student Veronica, played by Petsch, who resists the advances of college heartthrob Caleb, portrayed by Casalegno. Their chance encounter leads to an undeniable attraction, pulling Veronica into Caleb's world amid secrets and emotional stakes. The story has already been adapted into a Webtoon webcomic with 24 million views, a print novel from Sourcebooks, and a graphic novel from Webtoon Unscrolled.
Casting and Crew
Petsch, known for Riverdale and The Strangers, and Casalegno, from The Summer I Turned Pretty, bring star power to the project. Munro directs from a screenplay by Lauren Schacher, who previously wrote Hooking Up. Munro's prior work includes Wattpad's Boot Camp, the platform's first independently financed romantic comedy.
Production and Distribution
Producers include Greg Silverman and Grant Torre of Stampede Ventures, alongside David Madden and Jason Goldberg of Webtoon Productions, the team behind the After franchise that grossed $168 million globally. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling international sales, with deals secured for Amazon Prime Video in the U.K., Canada, Australia/New Zealand, France, and Benelux, among others including Capelight in Germany and Leone Film Group in Italy.
Stampede Ventures' CEO Greg Silverman praised the casting and direction: “Mackenzie brings such an elevated, romantic vision to Isabelle Ronin’s captivating love story... and Madelaine and Gavin are the perfect actors to finally bring Veronica and Caleb’s story to audiences around the world.”
Mister Smith Entertainment's Shane Kelly highlighted the project's appeal: “With compelling romance, high emotional stakes, and a massive built-in fanbase, this is a surefire opportunity for international buyers.” Webtoon Productions' President David Madden added: “With a passionate fanbase and incredible cast, Chasing Red is one of the hottest packages on the market.”