Rising stars JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith are officially taking their biggest step yet as a love team, with Regal Entertainment, Inc. announcing ‘Almost Us’ as their first-ever solo feature film together.
Originally introduced under the working title ‘IRL (In Real Life)’, the project has now locked in ‘Almost Us’ as its official title, with a nationwide theatrical release set for May 6. The film will be directed by Dan Villegas, known for acclaimed romantic dramas such as ‘Exes Baggage’ and ‘The Breakup Playlist’.
The movie is co-produced by Regal Entertainment and Project 8 Projects, the latter founded by Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone. The collaboration has fueled expectations that ‘Almost Us’ will deliver a character-driven, emotionally grounded love story aimed at young audiences and fans of contemporary Filipino romance.
‘Almost Us’ marks a major milestone for the tandem popularly known as JMFyang, transitioning them from reality TV favorites to full-fledged romantic leads. The pair first captured public attention on ‘Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11’, where their natural chemistry resonated strongly with viewers and laid the foundation for their rapid rise.
Prior to this project, Ibarra and Smith appeared together in ensemble and genre-driven works, including the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival entry ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins’, which became the festival’s second highest-grossing film, as well as the supernatural iWantTFC series ‘Ghosting’. However, ‘Almost Us’ is the first time the duo will carry a full-length narrative entirely on their own.
The project was first teased in early January through a joint social media announcement by Regal Entertainment, Project 8 Projects, Lunchbox, and Villegas. The confirmation of its final title and release date has since energized the JMFyang fandom, with Ibarra further amplifying the news by reposting the announcement on his Instagram stories.
While the full supporting cast has yet to be revealed, the film is already being positioned as a defining romantic release for the 2026 summer movie season.
