Could Xyriel Manabat and River Joseph be the next onscreen pair that Filipino movie fans will be talking about?
It is certainly a match few saw coming—and that unexpected pairing may be exactly what makes “Stuck On You” one of the more intriguing films in the upcoming 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival. For the first time, Manabat and Joseph are teaming up as romantic leads in the sexy romantic comedy directed by Mikko Baldoza. The film is among the seven full-length entries competing at this year’s Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival.
The pairing brings together two actors at interesting points in their careers. Manabat is an actress audiences have literally watched grow up onscreen, transitioning from child star to a performer known for taking on increasingly challenging dramatic roles. Joseph, meanwhile, is a rising young actor making his move into leading-man territory.
Now, the two are being thrown together in a story that combines romance, comedy, attraction and danger—with a particularly bizarre complication: the woman falling for the man may have been ordered to kill him.
And that is where “Stuck On You” gets interesting.
A Pairing With “Killer” Kilig Potential
Manabat plays Sheryl Bunga, a cheerful manicurista whose life revolves around hard work and providing for the family she loves. Joseph takes on the role of Max De Dios, an outrageously charming man described as the “most handsome man in the Philippines.” At first glance, the setup sounds like familiar rom-com territory. An ordinary woman meets an impossibly handsome man. Sparks fly. Feelings develop. Complications inevitably follow.
Except Sheryl has one very serious problem.
She is supposed to kill Max.
That premise immediately gives “Stuck On You” a different flavor from the usual boy-meets-girl romantic comedy.
The movie’s trailer teases the unusual predicament without giving away exactly how Sheryl ended up with a contract on Max. What led her to this dangerous assignment? Who wants Max dead? And perhaps most importantly, what happens when Sheryl begins falling for the very man she is supposed to eliminate?
That tension between attraction and danger could become one of the film’s biggest draws.
Instead of simply wondering whether the two characters will end up together, audiences are also left wondering whether they will even make it through the story alive.
It is a clever way of adding suspense to a love story while still leaving plenty of room for comedy and kilig.
Xyriel Manabat Gets Her Rom-Com Moment
For longtime Xyriel Manabat fans, “Stuck On You” offers an opportunity to see the actress in a different kind of role.
Manabat has become particularly recognizable for emotionally demanding performances, but Sheryl allows her to explore a lighter, more playful side.
As the cheerful manicurista, she gets to be funny, romantic and relatable while also dealing with an increasingly ridiculous—and potentially deadly—situation.
There is also an interesting connection between Manabat and the character she plays.
Sheryl is a breadwinner who is fiercely devoted to her family and understands the realities of working hard to get by. Those qualities give the character a grounded foundation despite the increasingly outrageous circumstances surrounding her.
That contrast could make Sheryl especially fun to watch.
She is someone audiences can relate to, suddenly placed in a situation that is anything but ordinary.
One moment she is simply trying to navigate life and provide for her loved ones. The next, she is dealing with an incredibly handsome man she may have been ordered to kill—and possibly developing feelings for him along the way.
The role also gives Manabat an opportunity to showcase her comedic timing and romantic chemistry, something audiences may not have seen as prominently in some of her more dramatic projects.
And naturally, much of the curiosity surrounding the film will center on how she and Joseph work together onscreen.
River Joseph Enters His Leading-Man Era
On the other side of the unlikely romance is River Joseph, who plays Max De Dios.
If Sheryl represents the relatable everywoman, Max is practically the opposite. He is charming, handsome and mysterious enough to turn Sheryl’s world upside down.
Being cast as a romantic lead opposite Manabat also places Joseph in an exciting position as he takes another step toward establishing himself as a leading man.
Max is the kind of character audiences are expected to find irresistible, which makes the casting particularly fitting. His charm is not simply part of the romance—it is also central to the movie’s biggest problem.
How exactly is Sheryl supposed to kill someone she is increasingly attracted to?
That dilemma could provide Joseph and Manabat with plenty of opportunities for both comedic and romantic moments.
Director Mikko Baldoza has also teased the pair’s cute and kilig-inducing chemistry, although audiences will ultimately have the final say once they see the film.
For now, the unexpected nature of the pairing is part of its appeal.
Some of the most memorable onscreen tandems begin with combinations that audiences never expected. Two actors are put together, the chemistry clicks, and suddenly viewers start wondering why the pairing had not happened sooner.
Could Manabat and Joseph be one of those pairings?
Why “Stuck On You” Is Not Your Typical Rom-Com
Despite being marketed as a sexy romantic comedy, “Stuck On You” clearly has something unusual lurking beneath its love story.
The filmmakers have kept many of the movie’s details under wraps, with the trailer offering only glimpses of what audiences can expect: a lovable manicurista, an exceptionally handsome man, an attraction that begins to develop and a mysterious assignment that could potentially end with someone dead.
That last element is what gives the romance an additional layer of suspense.
Every romantic moment between Sheryl and Max comes with an obvious question hanging over it.
Will Sheryl actually kill him?
And if she does not, what happens to her?
The movie also leaves several other questions unanswered.
Why was Sheryl given the contract in the first place? What makes Max a target? Is Max really as innocent—or as mysterious—as he appears?
Those questions could make the film more than just a straightforward romantic comedy.
The audience is not simply waiting to see whether Sheryl and Max fall in love. They are also waiting to discover what happens when that love conflicts with the dangerous assignment Sheryl has been given.
It is an unusual combination of kilig and suspense, with comedy potentially providing the bridge between the two.
Could Xyriel and River Be CinePanalo’s Next Tandem to Watch?
There is still only one way to know whether Xyriel Manabat and River Joseph have the chemistry to become a memorable onscreen tandem: watch them together.
But “Stuck On You” has already created a strong reason to be curious.
The film brings together an actress with years of experience and a young actor stepping further into leading-man territory. Their characters are also positioned as opposites—the hardworking and relatable Sheryl and the impossibly charming Max.
That contrast could make their interactions particularly entertaining.
More importantly, the movie does not rely solely on their romance. Their relationship is placed inside a story involving a potentially deadly mission, giving their developing attraction an added sense of urgency.
Whether “Stuck On You” ultimately becomes a full-blown kilig fest, a sexy comedy with an action twist, or something audiences do not see coming, the Manabat-Joseph pairing alone makes it worth keeping an eye on.
And if their chemistry delivers, moviegoers may just walk out of the cinema wondering one thing:
Could this be the start of a new favorite onscreen tandem?
Catch “Stuck On You” at Puregold CinePanalo 2026
“Stuck On You” is one of the seven full-length films competing in the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, which runs from September 23 to October 4.
The festival will be held at Gateway Cineplex 18, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, and Market! Market!
Regular tickets are priced at ₱250, while discounted tickets are available for ₱200 for PWDs, senior citizens, students, national athletes, and Aling Puring and Perks cardholders.
For audiences who want to experience the entire festival, a ₱2,000 festival pass provides access to all seven full-length films and 19 student short films.
Festival passes will be available beginning September 22 at Gateway Cineplex 18, and from September 23 onwards at Gateway Cineplex 18 and TriNoma.
With an unexpected romantic pairing, a charming leading man, a relatable heroine and a premise that literally puts a potential hitman—or in this case, a would-be killer—in the middle of a love story, “Stuck On You” could be one of the more unconventional entries to watch at CinePanalo 2026.
For fans of Xyriel Manabat and River Joseph, however, the biggest attraction may simply be seeing what happens when these two actors finally share the screen as romantic leads.
Kilig, comedy, danger—and a love story that could end in murder. “Stuck On You” certainly has a lot going for it.
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