Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth have a love affair in Lonely Planet this fall on Netflix

The lonely planet seemingly won't be so lonely after all this fall on Netflix. Academy Award winner Laura Dern stars opposite The Witcher's upcoming new leading man Liam Hemsworth in the new Netflix original romance movie Lonely Planet. Netflix announced the highly anticipated new movie's fall release date on Aug. 27 and released a trio of first look photos.

Lonely Planet will make its Netflix premiere on Friday, Oct. 11, when it begins streaming at midnight PT. The movie was first announced in April 2022 and written and directed by Susannah Grant, who has written such fan-favorite movies as Ever After, Erin Brockovich, In Her Shoes, and Catch and Release, which she also directed. Grant also previously worked with Netflix on the hit 2019 limited series Unbelievable.

In the movie, Dern steps into the role of Katherine Loewe, a seemingly lonely novelist who decides to attend a writer's retreat in Morocco in order to work her way out of a severe case of writer's block. Once in the peaceful location, she meets and connects with a younger man named Owen Brophy (Liam Hemsworth). Their initial connection grows into something much more potent.

Here's the official synopsis via Netflix:

"A young man accompanies his girlfriend to her prestigious writers retreat in Morocco, but struggles to find his place in her new world with the intellectual elite. As their relationship grows more fractious, he finds solace with a renowned but reclusive writer that evolves into a forbidden and intoxicating love affair."

In addition to Dern and Hemsworth in the leading roles of Lonely Planet, the film will also feature appearances by supporting cast members Diana Silvers, Younès Boucif, Adriano Giannini, and Rachida Brakni. The two movie stars seemed to get along well in their demanding roles as lovers, as Dern explains to Netflix's Tudum that "Liam was pure magic."

"Liam was pure magic. He became not only a buddy and a confidant through our Moroccan adventure, but our shared longing [for] honesty and intimacy in all relationships was very moving to me. We were very aligned, so getting to tell this story together meant the world ... and he is friggin’ hilarious, so I laughed the entire time."

Laura Dern

Hemsworth reciprocates Dern's praise, telling the streamer's website, "Sharing scenes with Laura Dern was an absolute privilege. She has this remarkable talent for drawing you in, making every moment feel intimate and real." You probably wouldn't have expected these two particular actors to star alongside each other in a romance movie, but after hearing them speak about each other, it just makes sense!

Netflix has enjoyed a successful run of original romantic comedies in 2024 with titles like Irish Wish, Mother of the Bride, and A Family Affair. While Lonely Planet doesn't appear to be exactly in line with the streamer's rom-com releases, it's sure to be just as lovable as them all. After all, it will be hard to swoon along with two stars as talented as Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth.

As of the movie's release date announcement on Aug. 27, Netflix hasn't released any footage or teasers. We'll be sure to share any preview clips and trailers that drop ahead of the release of Lonely Planet on Oct. 11.

Stay tuned for more Netflix movie news and updates from Netflix Life!