From Hell’s Kitchen to Heartthrob: Charlie Cox Leads Prime Video’s New Rom-Com

Charlie Cox is taking a breather from beating up bad guys in the MCU and trying something fluffier: a Prime Video rom-com called 'MERV' with Zooey Deschanel. The trailer just dropped, people seem into the pairing, and yes — Merv is the dog.

The setup

'MERV' follows Russ (Cox) and Anna (Deschanel), a couple who break up and discover their dog takes it harder than either of them. Merv basically loses his spark, which forces the exes into the most awkward version of shared custody you can imagine. Russ decides a change of scenery might help and takes Merv to Florida. Anna then shows up uninvited, and while they try to fix their dog, a little of that old chemistry creeps back in. Simple? Sure. Effective rom-com fuel? Also yes.

• Where to watch: Prime Video
• Release date: December 10, 2025
• Who is who: Charlie Cox plays Russ; Zooey Deschanel plays Anna
• Creative team: Directed by Jessica Swale; written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart
• The hook: Exes attempt dog co-parenting after their breakup bums Merv out, which leads to a Florida detour and maybe their own reset
• Trailer status: Official trailer is out; early response is warm and very pro-Cox/Deschanel

Trailer vibes

The first look leans cute and lightly chaotic: awkward reunions, sunny Florida escapism, and a lot of dog-therapy-as-couples-therapy energy. It is a very different lane for Cox, and Deschanel is firmly in her comedic pocket. If you want laughs, charm, and some heart-tugging pet-parent manipulation, that is the pitch.

Cox on switching gears

Cox knows this is a tonal pivot from Daredevil and says he leaned on his scene partner and director to find the rhythm.

"Tonally, this movie is unlike anything I've done before, so I relied on Zooey and Jess to guide me."

"There are very few actors more accomplished than she is. I really tried to learn as much as I could from her and be as present as possible in the scenes."

And the chemistry check

Director Jessica Swale calls Cox and Deschanel "the perfect rom-com couple" and says she would happily work with them together again. The trailer backs her up — they read like opposites who actually want the same thing, which is kind of the whole game.

Bottom line

'MERV' looks like a clean, high-gloss rom-com with a dog doing a lot of heavy emotional lifting. If you have been waiting to see Charlie Cox crack jokes instead of skulls, this is your moment. 'MERV' hits Prime Video on December 10, 2025.