Director Will Gluck’s upcoming romantic comedy “One Night Only” explores a fictional world where premarital sex is permitted for just one night each year. The film stars Monica Barbaro as Allie, an aspiring singer working in pharmaceutical advertising, and Callum Turner as Owen, a pizza restaurant owner. Their characters meet during a chaotic 12-hour period in New York City when Owen’s long-term girlfriend decides to take advantage of the annual legal exception.
Gluck acknowledges that his film’s premise has generated considerable public curiosity about the fictional world’s rules and logistics. However, the director emphasizes that audiences should experience the movie rather than focus on analyzing its internal consistency. He drew lessons from his previous romantic comedy success, “Anyone But You,” which benefited from word-of-mouth promotion, dubbing his approach a “WOM-com.”
In crafting the film, Gluck made significant decisions regarding on-screen content based on audience preferences. Recent data indicates that younger generations and broader audiences increasingly find explicit material uncomfortable in theatrical settings. Gluck removed substantial amounts of nudity during post-production, recognizing that viewers prefer intimate scenes remain private rather than shared experiences in crowded movie theaters.