Meg Ryan Says Her New Rom-Com Isn’t for “20-Year-Olds"

In case you missed it, Meg Ryan is back to her rom-com roots with her upcoming flick What Happens Later. Not only does everyone's favorite leading lady star in the movie, she also co-wrote and directed it. If there's anyone who knows her way around what makes a rom-com picture-perfect, it's Ryan, so when she spoke to People and mentioned that she maybe doesn't think that her new film is for everyone, we were instantly intrigued.

Ryan explained that the film isn't about young love, saying that the story in What Happens Later spans two decades and, in turn, might not be something that young people can relate to. However, her co-star David Duchovny insists that there's something for everyone to enjoy, no matter how old they are. The movie arrives in theaters this Friday, Nov. 3.

“I got very interested in the idea that these are two people trying to make sense of a life not lived together and that for all this time, I always think of it as a kind of Hanging Chad. The unresolved thing was, ‘Why didn’t you love me enough?’ It’s this unanswered question for 20 years and now they have this one night, this magical night,” Ryan said. “That’s a mature issue. It’s not something I think 20-year-olds think about.”

“Though, I think they’d love the movie. Meg?” David suggested. 

Naturally, Meg replied, “OK, yes. It’s also for 20-year-olds.”

Ryan also told the publication that the process of filming the movie was "magical." She and her co-stars were allowed to discuss the project during the ongoing actors' strike after the film received an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA.

"It’s a little roller-coaster ride between these two people, and it asks the question in a way: Will they or won’t they end up together?" she added. "These are people who broke one another’s hearts way back when. And I think what they gained is that they have gratitude for that.”

What Happens Later follows the story of two exes, Bill (Duchovny) and Willa (Ryan). They get snowed in at a regional airport overnight and are delayed indefinitely, giving them a chance to reflect on why things didn't work out for them.