Sony Pictures and Will Gluck’s Olive Bridge Entertainment have hired Josh Boone, director of The Fault in Our Stars, to direct Fake Skating, an adaptation of Lynn Painter’s bestselling young-adult novel. The film is scheduled for release on 16 July 2027, signalling Sony’s confidence in Boone and its interest in a summer release aimed at young women, despite no cast being attached yet.

The story follows childhood sweethearts in a hockey-focused hometown who rekindle their connection while pretending to be in a relationship. Morgan Lehmann and Victoria Bata wrote the screenplay, with Boone and writing partner Knate Lee revising it; Gluck and Jacqueline Monetta will produce, while Painter will executive produce. Fake Skating is Painter’s first screen adaptation and has sold more than 200,000 copies, spent 15 weeks at number one on the New York Times YA Hardcover Bestseller list, and been translated into 16 languages.