Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson return in ‘Happy Hours’ reunion, saying love and hope are possible

Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson are reuniting on screen for a new project titled ‘Happy Hours,’ with both actors describing the film as centered on resilience and the idea that love can develop over time. In comments reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Holmes and Jackson said the story reflects “a sense of hope,” emphasizing that “love is possible” and that life does not follow a single prescribed route.

‘Happy Hours’ brings the two actors back together after their long-running work on ‘Dawson’s Creek.’ According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reunion project also marks Holmes’ latest creative step as a writer-director, expanding beyond acting into shaping the story’s overall direction and approach.

The report ties Holmes’ recent development work to her experience on stage, noting that she previously appeared in the 2024 Broadway production of ‘Our Town.’ The Broadway run is described as part of the creative backdrop for the film’s themes, with ‘Happy Hours’ positioned as drawing from that broader interest in community, time, and how people find meaning in ordinary moments.

In the The Hollywood Reporter write-up, Holmes and Jackson frame the film’s emotional through line around durable relationships and future possibility. The reported remarks include Holmes’ statement that “love is possible” and her characterization that “life is long,” while also underscoring that there is “no given path,” an approach that suggests the film is built to examine how characters navigate uncertainty rather than follow a predetermined script.

For Jackson, the project is described as a chance to return to a collaborative dynamic rooted in their earlier work, while also approaching the new story with a different perspective shaped by the years since ‘Dawson’s Creek.’ The Hollywood Reporter report presents the reunion as both a creative pairing and a thematic convergence, with the film aimed at audiences seeking an uplifting tone grounded in character work.

Holmes’s role as writer-director and Jackson’s return as a leading co-star place ‘Happy Hours’ within the broader current of actors expanding into production and authorship, while still relying on audience recognition of their established on-screen chemistry. The Hollywood Reporter’s account frames the film as an effort to translate that connection into a new narrative environment, rather than a direct repeat of earlier material.

The project’s next steps, including release timing and distribution details, were not included in the information provided with the initial report. With the film now in public discussion through the reunion announcement and related quotes, additional confirmations on cast breadth, production status, and where audiences will be able to watch are expected as the project moves toward release.