ADVERTISEMENT
The movie After doesn't come out for three days, but fans are already tweeting as if they'd already seen it, processed it, and declared it their favorite movie. After's path to the big screen is unusual — and explains why the movie comes complete with a highly enthusiastic audience.
While in her early 20s, Anna Todd began writing installments of One Direction fan fiction on the website Wattpad. She told the story of Tessa Young, a sheltered girl who goes to Washington State University and is awakened by her torrid relationship with none other than Harry Styles (his name is changed to Hardin Scott in the book and movie). As she wrote, fans would help determine the course of the story. With over 1.5 billion hits, Todd's After ended up becoming the most widely-read book on Wattpad (print copies sold over 11 million).
On April 12, After is landing in theaters. Along with it comes the #Hessa fandom — and all of the controversies attached. Is Hardin a manipulative jerk molded in the style of Christian Grey, as some say? You'll have to decide for yourself.
ADVERTISEMENT