The first major co-production by Star Cinema and GMA Pictures, two film studios from rival media companies, the film was theatrically released in the Philippines on November 13, 2024.[3][4][5] The film is commercially successful and received positive reviews from critics, earning ₱1.6 billion in box office and becoming the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.
Plot
Although the film follows a nonlinear narrative, the events unfold in the following chronological order:
In the spring of 2020, Ethan visits Joy, who is now working as a domestic helper in Calgary He proposes to her, but soon finds himself stranded due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Forced to move in with Joy, their relationship begins to unravel as Ethan struggles with menial jobs while his bar in Hong Kong goes bankrupt in his absence. A year later, Ethan learns his father has contracted COVID-19. He rushes back to Hong Kong, but arrives too late to see his father, who passes away just before his arrival. Distraught and alone, Ethan has a one-night stand with a stranger, only to be caught when Joy video-calls to tell him of her imminent return. Heartbroken, Joy ends their engagement
Three years later, Joy is working at a nursing care facility and applying to move to the United States to become a registered nurse. While picking up a friend at the airport, she unexpectedly runs into Ethan and their mutual friend Jhim, who are both looking for work in Canada. At a café, Jhim asks Joy for job recommendations, and she asks him for his contact number— unaware that he provides Ethan's number instead. Joy soon finds herself in awkward encounters with Ethan, leading her to believe he’s pursuing her, though he denies it. At a picnic, Joy becomes jealous when a colleague, Baby, develops a crush on Ethan. In an attempt to keep him close, Joy proposes they live together as common-law partners for a year, a suggestion Ethan agrees to..
News of Joy and Ethan’s renewed relationship excites their friends and family both back home and in Hong Kong, unaware that they are entering into a facade. However, Joy's feelings begin to shift when Ethan volunteers to help clean at the nursing home, and Jhim reveals that Ethan narrowly survived an attack by loan sharks over his bar debts, even selling his house to pay them off. As Joy and Ethan start to reconcile, a jealous Baby invites Ethan for a chat in front of Joy. That night, when Ethan returns, Joy accuses him of cheating, but Ethan explains that Baby had threatened to report them to the IRCC for fraud. In an effort to protect Joy’s future, Ethan ends their relationship. Apologizing for his past mistakes, Ethan opens up, and Joy confesses her true feelings. They make love, marking a new beginning for them.
The following day, Joy arrives at work to learn that her patient, Martha, passed away the night before from dementia complications. When she returns home, Joy discovers that her application to the U.S. has been accepted, much to Ethan’s surprise and sorrow. Joy apologizes to Ethan, who accepts his fate but hopes that this will be the last time he has to say goodbye to her. On her way to the airport, Joy reads a letter Martha left behind, in which she expresses regret for neglecting her loved ones and urges Joy to “return home.” Torn, Joy cancels her departure and rushes to Ethan’s house. As she knocks on the door, Ethan emerges from the yard, and the two share a heartfelt declaration of love, leading to their marriage a year later.
Wilbert Ross as Joey Fabregas, Joy's younger brother
William Lorenzo as Celso Fabregas, Joy and Joey's father
Eric Jhon Balajadia as Tonton
Production
Development
During the theatrical release of Hello, Love, Goodbye, lead actor Alden Richards and director Cathy Garcia-Molina (now Cathy Garcia-Sampana) expressed openness to working on a sequel for the film despite the latter's confirming plans to retire from directing to focus on her family,[8] with lead actress Kathryn Bernardo expressing similar sentiments on a potential sequel.[9]
On May 19, 2024, American news website Deadline confirmed that film studios Star Cinema and GMA Pictures will be collaborating together for the first time in developing the film, with Bernardo and Richards reprising their respective roles as Joy and Ethan. Garcia-Sampana was hired to direct the film's sequel, and is targeting for a November 13, 2024 release in the Philippines.[3]
The film's sequel centers on Filipinos in Canada. Screenwriters Carmi Raymundo and Crystal San Miguel narrate Bernardo and Richards' blooming romance amid their hardships and challenges as OFWs. On May 19, 2024, ABS-CBN and GMA executives held a joint press conference of the upcoming film, showing the start of the movie collaboration between the two media companies.[10][11]
Filming
In June, Joross Gamboa, who was cast in the prequel movie Hello, Love, Goodbye, shared photos and videos in social media with fellow actors Alden Richards and Jeffrey Tam in Hong Kong for the shooting.[12][13]
On September 25, 2024, Star Cinema through its social media platforms, shared the movie's first teaser which garnered more than 10 million views in the first six hours after its release.[18]
On October 5, 2024, Star Cinema held a mall show at Ayala Malls Solenad in Laguna as part of its Hello Again Tour.[19] The film's official poster was also revealed at the event.[20]
During their second mall show for the Hello Again Tour held on October 8, 2024, at Vista Malls Taguig, the film's official trailer was first released.[21] The trailer had more than 11 million views in 14 hours after its release across social media.[22]
Release
Hello, Love, Again debuted in 656 cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2024, setting a new record for the widest release of a Filipino film. Midnight screenings were also held in various cinemas across the country.[23] A day before its general release, a red carpet world premiere was held at SM Megamall and was attended by the film's cast and crew members including the lead stars Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards, and director Cathy Garcia-Sampana.[24] The event was also attended by the celebrities and executives of ABS-CBN and GMA including Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Carlo L. Katigbak, Mark Lopez, Cory Vidanes, Jak Roberto, Barbie Forteza, and Julia Montes.[24]
After the successful first-day run, Star Cinema released the film in 1,100 cinemas worldwide, a first for any Filipino film.[25][26]
The film premiered at the Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) in Los Angeles on January 30, 2025.[27] It was also released on Netflix on February 13, 2025. The film debut at number 1 on Netflix Philippines and number 6 in non-English movies globally.[28][29]
Hello, Love, Again earned ₱85 million on its first day, setting the record for the highest opening day gross for a local film and surpassing The Super Parental Guardians (2016).[32][33] On its second day, the film earned an additional ₱70 million in box office receipts, making it the fastest local film ever to surpass the ₱150 million mark,[34] and by its third day, the film had earned ₱245 million, the fastest local film to surpass the ₱200 million mark.[35]
The movie also set the record for the largest opening weekend ever for a Filipino film in the United States and Canada, earning a total of US$2.4 million and finishing in eighth place.[36][26] As of November 17, the film earned ₱520 million in the domestic box office.[37] As of November 18, 2024, the film earned ₱566 million in the Philippines.[38] Both Bernardo and Richards announced that part of the film's proceeds would be donated to victims of typhoons that struck the Philippines at the time of its release.[39] On November 23, 2024, the film earned ₱1.06 billion, making it the first Filipino movie to gross over a billion pesos.[40] As of December 2, 2024, the film has earned ₱1.4 billion pesos.[41] By February 25, 2025, Star Cinema released the film's total worldwide gross of ₱1.6 billion pesos.[42] It has also become the highest grossing Filipino film of all time, surpassing Rewind.[43] The film ranked 97th at the 2024 worldwide box office, according to Box Office Mojo, with a reported total gross of $22,881,613 ( box office from Europe and other countries in Asia were excluded).[44]
Critical reception
The film received a review score of 71/100 from 6 reviews according to review aggregator website Kritikultura, indicating a generally positive reception.[45]
Vikram Murthi of IndieWire gave Hello, Love, Again a mixed review, grading it a "B-". He stated that in spite of its earnestness, "the film exhibits something of a split personality by awkwardly moving between cutesy soap operatic romance and an unsparing, oft-devastating portrait of the myriad hurdles facing foreign workers.... [Bernardo and Richards'] scenes together can feel unfocused solely because they're needlessly drawn out. Plus, the various plot complications that hinder their inevitable reconciliation, like a half-forgotten love triangle or Joy's impulsive decision to accept Ethan as a common-law partner, generally feel like caricatured dramatic obstacles."[46]
Jason Tan Liwag, writing for Rappler, praised the film's acting, editing, and cinematography while criticizing its portrayal of the Filipino community in Calgary as "underdeveloped".[47]
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