Director Claire Scanlon confirms “The Love Hypothesis” nods to “Star Wars”: Adam Carlsen was named for Adam Driver, and his black wardrobe evokes Kylo Ren. Olive’s red outfits were coincidental. Hazelwood’s novel began as Rey–Kylo fan fiction.
The film premiered on Amazon Prime on Sept. 23. Scanlon says Adam’s palette shifts from black to navy, and his clothes move from hard fabrics to cashmere and other softer materials as he spends more time with Olive; the change represents her positive impact on him. She also confirms Olive’s high bun nods to Rey’s signature hairstyle.
Fans linked the opening song, Gracie Abrams’ “Mess It Up,” to “Star Wars”; her father, J.J. Abrams, directed two films in the sequel trilogy. Scanlon said fans flagged the connection online and she had not thought of it. She was unsure whether a sample of “Rey’s Theme” and the scene of Adam carrying Olive were deliberate callbacks.
