Rommi, a micromovie studio focused on the romance community, has partnered with Bookish Media to launch its first romantic comedy, Drive Me Mad. Based on an original idea by bestselling author Ali Rosen, the project will premiere on October 22, 2026, across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram and Facebook.
Directed by Chell Stephen (Crystal), the micromovie stars Meg Levine, Beau Minniear and Caroline Baniewicz. Rommi founders Maggie Malina and Jamie Gordon produce the project alongside Bookish Media’s Morgann Book and Thomas Johnston, with Ben Poster of Steadfast Productions also involved. The production is made under a SAG agreement.
A Road Trip Turns Into a Romantic Rivalry in Drive Me Mad
Drive Me Mad follows Olivia (Levine), a witty and intelligent woman in her mid-20s, and Joe (Minniear), a charming man whose self-assurance masks a complicated past. When an airport disruption leaves them scrambling for transportation, they end up sharing the last available rental car for a 900-mile journey.
Their road trip takes an unexpected turn when they discover they are competing for the same client. As professional rivalry mixes with undeniable chemistry, the pair must navigate a journey full of twists and the possibility of romance.
The project aims to bring the appeal of classic romantic comedies to the vertical-video format, connecting with audiences who consume stories on social platforms.
Rommi Builds Its Romance Adaptation Slate
Bookish Media, founded by Morgann Book and Thomas Johnston, focuses on book-related media and production, including the weekly podcast Off the Shelf: The Bookish Club. Book has built a substantial audience across social platforms, with 2.6 million followers on TikTok, 144,000 on Instagram and 1.2 million on YouTube. She has also contributed to publicity campaigns for major book adaptations, including Off Campus and My Life with the Walter Boys.
Reflecting on the project, Book said that her experience as a romance reader helped her approach Drive Me Mad from both an audience and production perspective. She highlighted the team’s commitment to creating a different kind of vertical romance content and said she was proud of the result and excited about the company’s future projects.
Johnston said the collaboration offered an opportunity to create high-quality, story-driven content tailored to both romance fans and social media audiences. Rosen also welcomed the adaptation, describing the experience of seeing her story brought to the screen as extraordinary and expressing confidence in Rommi’s plans for future book adaptations.
Rosen is the author of five novels, including Unlikely Story and Merry and Bright, both of which have received recognition from outlets and organisations including USA Today, Kirkus and Amazon Editors. She is also an Emmy Award- and James Beard Award-nominated host of Potluck with Ali Rosen on NYC Life and a New York Times bestselling cookbook author.
Cast and Creative Team
Drive Me Mad marks Meg Levine’s scripted acting debut. The content creator, actress and model has built an online following through original content and musical performances, as well as appearing in campaigns for brands including Origins Skincare, Staycool NYC and The Canvas NYC.
Beau Minniear’s credits include HBO Max’s Minx, Bookie and The Sex Lives of College Girls, alongside projects such as Bad Haircut, Good Luck With Everything and the psychological thriller Intermedium.
Caroline Baniewicz is an actor, comedian and content creator known for Floating Carousel and This Blows. She works at Barstool Sports, where she co-created the first season of the YouTube show The Apartment, and has been recognised as a New Face Creator at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.
Director Chell Stephen is a Sundance Fellow and a TIFF/Warner Bros. Directors’ Labs Fellow. Her work spans short films screened at SXSW, music videos, commercials and television, including Riverdale and Nurses. Her vertical-format credits include My Boss Is My Secret Sperm Donor, The Duke’s Masked Bride and Sorority Heiress Takes Her Throne.
Beyond Drive Me Mad, Rommi is developing adaptations of Brittainy Cherry’s The Mixtape and Kate Robb’s This Spells Love. The studio is also developing original projects with Emma Grey, author of The Last Love Note, and Debbie Rigaud, author of Simone Breaks All the Rules. Book and Johnston will serve as producing and strategic partners on the upcoming slate.
The first trailer for Drive Me Mad is here:
