AceShowbiz - Colleen Hoover is continuing her impressive run of successful movie adaptations with her third film in as many years, even though critics remain divided on the quality of her work. This streak began in 2024 with It Ends with Us, a romance-drama based on her bestselling novel, which generated approximately $350 million worldwide. The film attracted as much attention for the behind-the-scenes drama involving its stars as for its storyline, helping fuel its box office success.

The controversy surfaced when Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the film’s leads, had a very public falling out during production. Their tension spilled over into promotional events, and months later, Lively filed a harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, who responded with a countersuit. This legal battle became a dominant talking point that overshadowed the film itself.

Colleen Hoover followed up with her next adaptation, Regretting You, starring Dave Franco and Allison Williams. Although this film did not have off-screen drama to boost its profile, it still managed to earn more than $90 million worldwide last year, demonstrating the ongoing appeal of Hoover’s storytelling to her core audience.

Her latest movie, Reminders of Him, starring Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers and directed by Vanessa Caswill, has already surpassed expectations despite mixed critical reception. It earned $8 million on its opening day and is projected to reach about $20 million over the weekend. While this is below the $50 million opening of It Ends with Us, it notably outperforms the $13 million first weekend of Regretting You. Each of these movies was produced with budgets ranging from $25 million to $30 million.

Critical reviews for Reminders of Him have been lukewarm at best. For example, Kevin Maher of The Times called the film “idiotic.” Yet, its 57% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes is an improvement over It Ends with Us, which stands at 55%, and far better than Regretting You, which holds only 29%. However, it is the audience response that underscores the success of these adaptations. On Rotten Tomatoes, It Ends with Us has an 87% audience score, Regretting You is at 84%, and Reminders of Him currently holds an 89% audience score. CinemaScore audiences awarded it a solid B grade on opening day.

With a relatively open release window, Reminders of Him aims to capitalize on less competitive offerings before the arrival of the sci-fi film Project Hail Mary in theaters. Industry watchers will be keeping an eye on how well it performs as counter-programming in the coming days.

The new film once again highlights Hoover’s ability to connect with her fanbase through emotionally charged narratives, even if critical acclaim remains elusive. While the films receive mixed reviews from professional critics, they consistently resonate with readers of Hoover’s novels, proving the strength of her storytelling appeal in the cinematic arena.

Keep following Collider for ongoing updates on Reminders of Him and its box office trajectory as the weekend progresses.