Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 26, 2026

18th Rose

18th Rose is a 2026 Philippine coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Dolly Dulu from a screenplay he co-wrote with John Carlo Pacala. The film stars Xyriel Manabat in her first leading role in a feature film, and Kyle Echarri.

Last revised
Jul 26, 2026
Read time
≈ 6 min
Length
1,346 w
Citations
24
Source
Wikipedia ↗
18th Rose
Official release poster
Directed byDolly Dulu
Written by
  • Dolly Dulu
  • John Carlo Pacala
Produced by
  • Omar Sortijas
Starring
Production
company
Clever Minds Inc.
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • April 9, 2026 (2026-04-09)1
Running time
131 minutes
CountryPhilippines
LanguagesFilipino
English

18th Rose is a 2026 Philippine coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Dolly Dulu from a screenplay he co-wrote with John Carlo Pacala. The film stars Xyriel Manabat in her first leading role in a feature film, and Kyle Echarri.2

Plot

A woman who works in a computer suddenly meets a handsome man, they first meeting didn't go well until he finally in loves with her.

Cast

Production

Netflix officially disclosed the film as part of its "Next on Netflix Philippines" 2026 slate during a press event on February 9, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Manila.456 Dolly Dulu was announced as the director of the film from a screenplay he co-wrote with John Carlo Pacala, with Xyriel Manabat and Kyle Echarri in the lead. Principal photography took place over the course of one month in Romblon,78 a location chosen to highlight the province's "lesser-seen parts".9 According to Dulu, the early 2000s setting was based on his personal experiences growing up in the era, citing the "simpler" nature of life and romance prior to the presence of social media.910 To prepare for their roles, Manabat and Echarri underwent chemistry workshops to develop their romantic rapport and on-screen dynamic.11

Manabat described her character in the film as "light" and "free spirited". She noted that she and co-star Echarri began filming with a playful dynamic, before gradually settling into the more serious tone required for their characters.12 Echarri was all praise towards co-star Manabat who said in part, "when we go to the set, we don't read the script until we get to the cameras. And when we get to the set, we change all the lines."13

Release

18th Rose was released on Netflix on April 9, 2026.1415

Reception

Viewership

18th Rose was met with praises from viewers and quickly rose to number two on Netflix's top 10 movies in the Philippines.16 Later that week, the film debuted at number seven on Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English Movies chart with 1.7 million viewership during the week of 6–12 April 2026.17 The film slipped to number nine the following week, 13–19 April 2026, gaining a further 1.4 million viewership worldwide on its second week on the chart.18

Critical response

Decider contributor Radhika Menon positively reviewed the film, highlighting the convincing chemistry between leads Echarri and Manabat despite a slow narrative start. Menon also described Manabat as a "scene stealer", praising her ability to use subtle facial expressions to portray her character's growth from a carefree youth to an adult facing mature challenges.19 Midgard Times writer Anjali Sharma rated the film 5.5 out of 10 stars, criticizing the repetitive portions and inconsistent dialogue, but commended the cinematography, setting, and the engaging portrayals of Echarri and Manabat.20

Writing for ABS-CBN, Fred Hawson remarked that the film "followed a very familiar rom-com formula" with a "melodramatic subject matter" that he didn't particularly like but was carried by the "unexpected chemistry" of the lead actors.21 Inquirer Bandera writer Pauline del Rosario stated that the film effectively relied on early 2000s nostalgia and an authentic depiction of provincial life to ground its simple, opposites attract storyline, further commending Echarri and Manabat's natural performances.22

References

References

  1. Ramachandran, Naman (9 February 2026). "Kathryn Bernardo, Nadech Kugimiya Star as Netflix Unveils Robust 2026 Southeast Asian Slate". Variety. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  2. "'18th Rose' Filipino Romantic Comedy Film Starring Kyle Echarri is Coming to Netflix in April 2026". What's on Netflix. 17 February 2026. Archived from the original on 19 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  3. Purnell, Kristofer (10 February 2026). "Kathryn Bernardo, James Reid show highlights Netflix PH's 2026 slate". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  4. Wang, Mel (9 February 2026). "This Year's Netflix PH Originals to Star James Reid, Anne Curtis, More". Rolling Stone Philippines. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  5. Regis, Ralph (10 February 2026). "Netflix Philippines Unveils 2026 Lineup Of Movies And Series". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  6. Pagulong, Charmie Joy (12 February 2026). "Netflix Philippines unveils star-studded, ambitious 2026 lineup". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 12 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  7. Torres, Justina (11 February 2026). "New Rom-Com Alert! Kyle Echarri And Xyriel Manabat's '18th Rose' Is About Dating Before The Apps". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  8. Policarpio, Allan (14 February 2026). "A sapphic horror, a '90s reunion, and Anne Curtis' 'female rage'". Lifestyle Inquirer. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  9. Fullido, Gretchen (10 February 2026). "ABS-CBN stars lead Netflix PH's original movies, series for 2026". ABS-CBN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  10. Cabral, Katrina Maisie (12 February 2026). "Inside Netflix Philippines' 2026 Slate, According to Its All-Star Filipino Cast". Preview. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  11. Fernando, Jefferson (11 February 2026). "Xyriel Manabat's long road to her leading role". Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  12. Sabio, Nikka (21 February 2026). "Exclusive: Xyriel Manabat shares how '18th Rose' helped grow her friendship with Kyle Echarri". ABS-CBN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  13. Escabarte, Kent Joahs (14 March 2026). "Kyle Echarri talks about friendship with Xyriel Manabat ahead of '18th Rose' premiere". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  14. Moore, Kasey (9 February 2026). "New Series & Movies from Indonesia, Thailand, and Philippines Coming to Netflix in 2026". What's on Netflix. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  15. Posadas, Andrea (13 February 2026). "6 Exciting New Filipino Movies That We Can't Wait to Watch This Year". When In Manila. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  16. "'18th Rose' earns praise as Xyriel Manabat, Kyle Echarri debut film on Netflix". NewsWatch Plus. 12 April 2026. Archived from the original on 16 April 2026. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  17. "Top 10 Non-English Movies on Netflix Right Now (6–12 April 2026)". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on 15 April 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  18. "Top 10 Non-English Movies on Netflix Right Now (13–19 April 2026)". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on 22 April 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  19. Menon, Radhika (21 April 2026). "Stream It or Skip It: '18th Rose' on Netflix, a nostalgic Filipino coming-of-age tale set in the 2000s". Decider. Archived from the original on 22 April 2026. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  20. Sharma, Anjali (9 April 2026). "'18th Rose' (2026) Netflix Movie Review - Made Me Root for Better Decisions More than the Actual Couple". Midgard Times. Archived from the original on 30 June 2026. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  21. Hawson, Fred (12 April 2026). "Netflix review: '18th Rose' blooms with young love and small-town dreams". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  22. Del Rosario, Pauline (19 April 2026). "Review: '18th Rose' simpleng pag-ibig, pero matinding nostalgia ng early 2000s" [Review: '18th Rose' a simple love story, but with strong early 2000s nostalgia]. Inquirer Bandera (in Filipino). Archived from the original on 20 April 2026. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
External links