As Announced in Deadline: Get Your Rom-Com Produced! Stage 32 Partners with Evoke Entertainment for Screenwriting Contest!

Deadline just featured Stage 32 and our new partnership with Evoke Entertainment, which gives rom-com writers a direct path to production with the company producing projects for Netflix, CBS, Peacock, Hallmark, Tubi, and more!

If you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to get your romantic comedy in front of a production company that’s actively making films, this is it. Evoke Entertainment (formerly The Cartel) is one of the busiest production companies in the genre.

They produced 9 romantic comedies in 2025 for Netflix, Hallmark, Lifetime, Tubi, and Great American Family. They’re producing 10+ more in 2026. Since the partnership was announced in Deadline, the industry is paying extra attention. And if you’ve been following the theatrical and streaming market lately, you already know why.

Rom-Coms Are Back, And They’re Selling

For years, the conventional wisdom was that romantic comedies are reliable but not mainstream enough to dominate the box office. Studios stopped making them. Streaming platforms deprioritized them. The genre became synonymous with “low-budget filler.” That’s changed.

Anyone But You became a surprise theatrical hit, proving audiences still want rom-coms on the big screen. Wuthering Heights dominated Valentine’s Day. And a hundred more Rom-Coms are in development across multiple studios. Streamers like Netflix, Hulu, and Hallmark are doubling down on the genre because the data shows rom-coms drive consistent viewership and subscriber retention.

In other words, rom-coms are selling again, and production companies like Evoke are actively looking for fresh material to keep up with demand.

Here’s what makes this different from most screenwriting contests:

The winner doesn’t just get a laurel for their IMDb page. The winner gets fast-tracked into development and packaging with Evoke Entertainment, a production company that has the infrastructure, relationships, and track record to actually get films made.

Fast-tracked means:

• Your script goes directly to Evoke’s development team
• You’re brought into the conversation about casting, packaging, and production strategy
• You’re working with a company that has active relationships with buyers across theatrical, streaming, and cable

This isn’t a company with two films “in development” that may or may not happen. Evoke produced 9 rom-coms last year across 5 different platforms. They have distribution relationships. They have production financing. They have a proven model.

If you win, you’re not getting a meeting where someone says, “We love this, let’s stay in touch.” You’re getting a seat at the table with a company that’s actively producing films in your genre.

Who Is Evoke Entertainment?

Evoke Entertainment (formerly The Cartel) is a Los Angeles-based production company that specializes in genre-driven content, with a strong focus on romantic comedies, holiday films, and family entertainment.

Their 2025-2026 slate included film and TV projects for:

• Netflix
• Peacock
• Hallmark
• Lifetime
• Tubi
• Great American Family

In 2026, they’re producing 10+ romantic comedies across multiple platforms, which means they need material and they need writers who understand the genre. Evoke is looking for well-executed romantic comedies that audiences will watch, and they have the data, the relationships, and the production infrastructure to get them made.

The contest is judged by Stage 32's executive panel of managers, producers, and development executives who specialize in romantic comedies and have active relationships with buyers in the space.

The finalists will be reviewed by Evoke Entertainment’s development team, who will select the winner based on:

• Concept strength and marketability
• Character development and emotional stakes
• Execution and craft
• Commercial viability across theatrical and streaming platforms

This isn’t a popularity contest. It’s not audience voting. It’s a professional evaluation by executives who are actively buying and producing rom-coms.

This contest offers a direct path to production with a company that’s actively making films in your genre. If you’ve been writing rom-coms and wondering how to get your script in front of the right people, this is how.

How to Enter

The Stage 32 Rom-Com Screenwriting Contest is open now.

Submit your script by clicking here!

Read more in the Deadline article here!

For questions about the contest, email success@stage32.com.

Rom-coms are back. Audiences want them. Streamers are buying them. Production companies are making them.

And Evoke Entertainment is looking for material.

If you’ve got a romantic comedy that’s ready to go, this is your shot.

SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT NOW!

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Ashley at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32 , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .