The breakout love team of this generation, JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith, collectively known as JMFyang, is set to headline their first major solo film together titled ‘IRL (In Real Life)’.
The project marks a major milestone for the pair, who first captured the attention of Gen Z audiences as housemates on ‘Pinoy Big Brother: Gen 11’. Since then, their on-screen chemistry has steadily gained traction, evolving from reality TV popularity into a full-fledged love team with growing cinematic ambitions.
‘IRL’ follows their successful collaborations in the digital supernatural series ‘Ghosting’ and the Metro Manila Film Festival 2025 horror entry ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins’. However, this upcoming film will be their first project as sole lead stars in a theatrical romance-driven narrative.
The movie is directed by Dan Villegas, a filmmaker widely recognized for romance hits such as ‘Exes Baggage’ and ‘English Only, Please’. His involvement adds creative weight to the project, signaling a more grounded, emotionally driven approach to the young love team’s first standalone film.
Fans were given an unexpected first look at ‘IRL’ during the premiere night of ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins’, where the project was teased and its 2026 release window was confirmed. While the official synopsis has yet to be revealed, the title ‘IRL’—paired with the marketing tagline “happening IRL”—clearly leans into the duo’s real-life chemistry and growing off-screen closeness.
The film’s announcement also comes at a time when JMFyang is openly entering its “love team era.” Recently, Ibarra shared romantic highlights from a date with Smith, captioned “Always, in all ways,” further fueling fan speculation about their off-screen relationship and making the IRL reveal feel like a natural payoff for longtime supporters.
Project 8 Projects formally announced the film on Instagram on January 5, tagging Smith, Ibarra, and Villegas, with the caption “GRABE KA NA 2026,” accompanied by the hashtag IRL. While details about the story remain under wraps, the teaser confirmed that the film is already in active development.
Beyond IRL, Ibarra continues to build his acting résumé with critically noted work, including his lead role in the Cinemalaya 2025 entry ‘Child No. 82: Anak ni Boy Kana’, where he starred alongside Vhong Navarro and Rochelle Pangilinan.
