Meg Ryan will star, direct new rom-com 'What Happens Later'

Meg Ryan, the star of such hit romantic comedies as "When Harry Met Sally …" (1989), "Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and "You've Got Mail" (1998), will return to the genre as star and director of a later-in-life love story, "What Happens Later."

"HERE WE GO!!" wrote Ryan, 60, on Instagram Tuesday, posting a teaser image for the film starring herself and "The X-Files" and "Californication" star David Duchovny, 61.

Distributor Bleecker Street Media said the film will shoot in Bentonville, Arkansas, for release next year. "Romantic comedy icon Meg Ryan returns to the genre to deliver an evolved and nostalgic take on it, this time both in front of and behind the camera," the company added on social media.

Based on the play "Shooting Star" by Steven Dietz, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ryan and playwright and novelist Kirk Lynn, the movie follows ex-lovers Willa and Bill, reunited for the first time since their split decades ago when they find themselves snowed in at an airport overnight. Free-spirit Willa and the recently separated Bill revisit their past, finding that their versions of their shared history appear to be at odds.

"We believe it's a look at life and love that audiences the world over will relate to and hunger for in these uncertain times when connection and reconciliation feel more important than ever," the producers said in a statement.

"We are beyond fortunate that the project is in the hands of one of the most gifted romantic comedy actors of her generation," Bleecker Street CEO Andrew Karpen said in a statement. "Combined with the talent of her co-stars and producers, we are honored to be on this journey and look forward to sharing the experience with audiences next year."

This will be Ryan's second film as director. She previously helmed the 2015 drama "Ithaca," starring herself, Alex Neustaedter, Jack Quaid, Tom Hanks and Sam Shepard, based on William Saroyan's 1943 novel "The Human Comedy."