BOX OFFICE PRO: Emma Holly Jones Brings Regency Rom-Com to the Big Screen with Mr. Malcolm’s List

It’s been a winding road for Mr. Malcolm’s List. The Regency rom-com—complete with eligible, brooding heir; poor, plucky heroine; and any number of romantic false starts and misunderstandings—began life as a self-published book by author Suzanne Allain, who later spun a screenplay from her story. In brief, wealthy bachelor (Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù) keeps an impractical “must-have” list for his bridal prospects, one of whom, the spirited Julia (Zawe Ashton), enlists the help of a friend (Freida Pinto) to woo and then reject this stonyhearted man, who definitely won’t (oh, who are we kidding?) discover his romantic side by the time the credits roll.