Ever wondered what it takes to become the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire? Apparently, it involves getting fired from a dating app, facing harassment lawsuits, and then creating a competitor that makes women message first. The Swiped Hulu movie premieres September 19, 2025, turning Whitney Wolfe Herd’s wild journey from Tinder executive to Bumble founder into the kind of Silicon Valley origin story that makes The Social Network look like a friendly business meeting.
Dating Drama
Director Rachel Lee Goldenberg (Unpregnant) adapted the Swiped Hulu movie from the true story that reads like a tech thriller mixed with workplace revenge fantasy. Lily James stars as Whitney Wolfe, fresh out of college and desperate for her first real job opportunity. Enter Sean (Ben Schnetzer), co-founder of a “moderately successful startup” who hires Whitney not for romance, but for her marketing instincts.
Filmed from May to July 2024 across Los Angeles locations, the 20th Century Studios production captures the toxic culture that defined early dating app development. “This film is not merely about a midlife crisis—it embodies something much more complex,” James noted during production, describing the Swiped Hulu movie as exploring how women navigate male-dominated tech environments.
Real Stakes
What makes the Swiped Hulu movie compelling isn’t just the billion-dollar success story—it’s the harassment lawsuit and professional sabotage that nearly destroyed Wolfe’s career before it began. Dan Stevens plays Andrey Andreev, the Badoo founder who eventually backed Bumble’s creation, while the supporting cast includes Jackson White, Myha’la, and Dermot Mulroney.
“Inspired by the provocative real-life story of the visionary founder of online dating platform Bumble,” the official synopsis promises, though early festival screenings suggest the film doesn’t shy away from depicting the misogynistic culture that made Bumble’s “women message first” policy revolutionary rather than basic courtesy.
Swiped Hulu Movie Production
Producers Jennifer Gibgot, Andrew Panay, and James herself (also producing) worked with screenwriters Bill Parker, Kim Caramele, and Goldenberg to balance empowerment messaging with authentic industry criticism. The Swiped Hulu movie reportedly cost $45 million, with Chanda Dancy composing the score and Doug Emmett handling cinematography.
James spent months studying Wolfe Herd’s interviews and public appearances: “She uses extraordinary grit and ingenuity to break into the male-dominated tech industry,” the actress explained about her character preparation. The film world premiered at Toronto International Film Festival September 9 before its Hulu streaming release.
“Paving the way to becoming the youngest female self-made billionaire” wasn’t just about creating a better dating app—it was about surviving an industry designed to exclude women, then building something that fundamentally changed how people connect online.
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