Glen Powell Admits He and Sydney Sweeney Leaned Into Romance Rumors to Market “Anyone But You:” 'It Worked'

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney successfully played offscreen romance rumors into a box office hit with their December 2023 romantic comedy

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are still riding a high from their recent rom-com hit.

Powell, 35, and Sweeney, 26, made box office magic with Anyone But You, which grossed $219 million at the worldwide box office followings its release back in December. The months-long lead-up to the movie included speculation that the two costars had engaged in an offscreen relationship after Powell and his ex-girlfriend Gigi Paris broke up in April 2023, but as the costars recently told The New York Times, those rumors worked in their favor.

“The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry," Powell told the outlet. "Sydney and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry. That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.”

Sweeney worked as an executive producer on Anyone But You in addition to leading the movie as her character Bea. The film follows her and Powell's character Ben as two wedding attendees who previously went on a date that ended poorly. They resolve to pretend to be a couple while attending a wedding weekend and subsequently fall in love while trying to hide a disdain for each other.

Related: Glen Powell Reveals His Dad and Matthew McConaughey Had Hilarious Encounter but Became 'Best Friends'

Sweeney told the Times that she "was on every call" regarding marketing for the film in the months leading up to its release.

"I was in text group chats. I was probably keeping everybody over at Sony marketing and distribution awake at night because I couldn’t stop with ideas,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that we were actively having a conversation with the audience as we were promoting this film, because at the end of the day, they’re the ones who created the entire narrative.”

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Her efforts to maximize public interest in Anyone But You paid off; despite its December 2023 release, the movie still remains the 10th-highest grossing release in 2024 at the domestic box office. Both Sweeney and Powell have said they intend to make another movie together,

Related: Sydney Sweeney Jokes That She’s Sorry for Having ‘Great’ Boobs During Mexico Vacation

"We're dreaming up a bunch of different ideas," Sweeney told PEOPLE of a future project with Powell back in March. "We haven't really solidified what we want to do yet, but we're just dreaming up a bunch of different things and seeing what clicks best."

Both Anyone But You's director Will Gluck and Sony Pictures executive Tom Rothman told the Times recently that conversations are in the works about Sweeney and Powell working together again, though they remain uncertain whether they will seek an Anyone But You sequel or make an unrelated romantic comedy.

Until then, Powell can next be seen in Netflix's Hit Man, which begins streaming in June, and Twisters, in theaters July 19. Sweeney most recently appeared in the horror film Immaculate.

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