Well, that was unexpected.
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For many people, working with your ex, even in a professional setting, is a non-starter. But most people aren’t Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia. The two dated from 2017-2019 and starred in a few projects like Vince and Kath and James and Love You To The Stars and Back (which is an underrated gem imo). And while the reel and real-life couple ended their relationship in 2019, they have remained friends and aren’t shy about expressing doing a reunion project down the line.
That time finally came as Star Cinema recently announced that the JoshLia tandem was coming back to life for a reunion movie called Un/happy For You. Clearly, anything is possible these days as one of the most popular love teams of the late 2010s is heading back to a big screen for a movie many will most likely relate to. Here are the need-to-know deets of JoshLia’s reunion project.
IT’S THEIR FIRST MOVIE TOGETHER IN FOUR YEARS
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Un/happy For You, which serves as a collaboration between Star Cinema and Viva Films, will be Joshua and Julia’s first movie together in four years. Since the couple’s break-up in 2019, Julia and Joshua have starred in two projects, 2020’s zombie thriller Block Z, and the music video for Moira Dela Torre’s hit track Paubaya, which lowkey can be considered as a short film. This reunion project is a long time coming, and one they didn’t hesitate to jump on.
“Nung nalaman ko ‘yung project, sabi ko yes agad kasi ang tagal na rin kasi nung agwat nung panahon na nag-work kami before kasi mga teenager kami,” said Joshua during the movie’s official reveal. He adds that with both of them moving on to do different projects and growing as adults, it felt great to be back together professionally. “Ngayon, I can say nag-mature na rin kami, lumaki na kami, literal. Exciting lang, nagkanya-kanya kaming journey parang ngayon magbabalikan kami sa pelikula.”
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As for Julia, she shared that they were offered a handful of opportunities to reunite for a project, and Un/happy For You felt like the right fit for the moment. “Over the years, there were several attempts to coming together. At some point, when a good material comes along and a great team, of course, being reunited with Josh is such an exciting idea. It almost felt like maybe it was already the right time, it’s the right material, we’re both in a good place in our life. I’m happy na magkakatrabaho tayo uli.”
IT’S DIRECTED BY PETERSEN VARGAS
Helming the movie will be self-described JoshLia fan, Petersen Vargas. If his name sounds familiar, that’s because his last movie was the Kathryn Bernardo-led A Very Good Girl. And going by the reaction to the film last year, Un/happy For You looks to be the talk of the town once more.
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“I am privileged enough to put my own stamp on a JoshLia film just because I have seen all their films together. When they offered to make a JoshLia movie, the inspiration was just overflowing,” he shared. “As their viewer over the years, I feel like this film that we are going to release is the film that I want to see the both of them to be making this year. Kumbaga as an audience, ito ‘yung gusto kong papanooring Joshlia.”
IT’S GOING TO BE A STORY ABOUT EXES
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As you can imagine, Un/happy For You is slated to be a movie about exes reuniting. But, as the movie’s writers, Kookai Labayen, Crystal San Miguel, and Jen Chuaunsu, revealed, the project looks to go beyond the stereotypical ideas of people getting back together. “Minsan sinasabi natin sa isang tao na ‘I’m happy for you’ pero sa totoong buhay natin, hindi tayo magpapaka-mature, magpapakatotoo tayo sometimes unhappy din naman tayo sa mga taong nanakit sa atin or sa mga taong may mga atraso sa ‘tin kaya may slash kasi baka pwedeng happy ka doon sa tao na ‘yun,” explained Kookai Labayen on the movie’s title.
Feels are about to be felt as they promise a relatable story on exes navigating the pain and loss that still lingers in someone who you used to consider as your everything. Expect a movie that, while delving into the all-too-relatable and complicated struggle of detaching yourself from someone you gave your all to, also gives the space for people to heal.
WE HAVE A LOOK TEST
While we don’t yet have a trailer, an official plot synopsis, and just a vague release date of sometime in 2024, we do have a look test starring Julia and Joshua. The look test (which, fun fact, was shot on the ABS-CBN compound) finds the two actors playing exes who reunite after some time apart. But what was supposed to be a simple delivery turns hostile as they confront each other on what went wrong in their failed relationship. Old wounds were opened, and the lingering pain is still there. This is going to be so messy. We can’t wait to watch this.
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