When the first trailer for Sidelined: The QB and Me movie hit social media, people were honestly a little skeptical. It’s a Tubi Original. It stars a TikToker. It’s based on a Wattpad book by Tay Marley. On paper, it looks like just another cookie-cutter teen romance, right?
Well, not exactly.
Against all odds, the movie didn't just drop and disappear into the depths of free streaming. It exploded. Since its release on November 29, 2024, it became a certified juggernaut for Tubi, breaking viewership records in both the US and Canada. If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you've definitely seen the edits.
People are calling it one of the most refreshingly honest YA movies in years, mostly because it skips the tired "love triangle" tropes and focuses on something much more relatable: the terrifying reality of growing up and realizing your dreams might not line up with your heart.
What Really Happens in Sidelined: The QB and Me Movie
The story follows Dallas Bryan, played by Siena Agudong. She’s a dancer who is basically obsessed with getting into CalArts. It’s not just about her career; it’s about her late mother’s legacy. Dallas is the type of girl who has her whole life mapped out in a planner. Then she meets Drayton Lahey.
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Drayton is the quintessential high school quarterback. He’s played by Noah Beck, and yeah, there was a lot of talk about whether a social media star could actually pull off a lead dramatic role. Surprisingly, the consensus is that he did. Drayton isn't just a "jock." He’s a guy carrying the massive weight of his father’s expectations. His dad, Leroy, is played by Dawson's Creek legend James Van Der Beek, who brings a much-needed edge to the "tough coach/dad" archetype.
The movie works because it feels like it was made for the current generation of teens. There’s no manufactured drama for the sake of it. Instead, you get a story about two people who are genuinely trying to figure out if their relationship can survive the "real world" after graduation. It’s about ambition versus affection.
The Cast That Made It a Hit
- Siena Agudong as Dallas Bryan: You might recognize her from No Good Nick. She’s the emotional anchor of the film, and her chemistry with Beck is what really sold the story to the Wattpad audience.
- Noah Beck as Drayton Lahey: This was his feature film debut. He basically had to prove he was more than just a Sway House member, and honestly, he brought a vulnerability to Drayton that fans didn't expect.
- James Van Der Beek as Leroy Lahey: Let's be real, seeing Van Der Beek as the "older generation" now is a trip, but he provides the necessary friction that drives Drayton's arc.
- Drew Ray Tanner as Nathan: The Riverdale alum shows up as Dallas's brother, providing that protective-but-supportive energy.
The Sequel: Sidelined 2: Intercepted
If you finished the first movie and thought, "That’s it?", you aren't alone. The demand was so high that Tubi greenlit a sequel almost immediately. Sidelined 2: Intercepted officially premiered on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025.
This time around, the stakes are different. High school is over. Dallas and Drayton are in college, and the distance is doing exactly what you’d expect—it’s making everything complicated. Drayton is struggling at USC after a major setback, and Dallas is finally at CalArts, but she’s starting to wonder if the dream she’s chased her whole life is actually what she wants.
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New Faces and New Conflicts
The sequel isn't just a repeat of the first film. They brought in Charlie Gillespie (who most people know as Luke from Julie and the Phantoms) to play Skylar. He’s a musician and a senior at CalArts. Naturally, he becomes a bit of a "threat" to the long-distance relationship between Dallas and Drayton.
There’s a new level of maturity in the sequel. It moves away from the "high school hallway" aesthetic and leans into the messy reality of being nineteen and lost. Justin Wu returned to direct, and both Agudong and Beck stepped up as executive producers this time. You can tell they had more skin in the game. They wanted the characters to age with the audience.
Why This Movie Series Actually Worked
A lot of book-to-screen adaptations fail because they lose the "vibe" of the original story. Tay Marley’s The QB Bad Boy and Me had over 31 million reads on Wattpad. That’s a massive, built-in fanbase that is notoriously hard to please.
The production team at Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and Great Pacific Media clearly understood that they couldn't just make a "cringe" influencer movie. They had to make a real film. By casting seasoned actors like Van Der Beek and Deborah Cox alongside social media stars, they balanced the "hype" with actual craft.
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The first movie hit the number one spot on Tubi’s charts within its first week. It wasn't just fans of Noah Beck watching; it was people looking for a comfort watch that didn't feel like a lecture.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
- It’s Free: You don't need a subscription. Both movies are on Tubi, which is probably why it reached such a massive audience so quickly.
- It’s Not Just Romance: While the love story is the hook, the subplots about grief and parental pressure are what give the movie its legs.
- The Wattpad Influence: If some scenes feel a bit "dramatic," it’s because it stays true to its roots. It embraces the tropes rather than running from them.
If you’re looking to dive into the world of Dallas and Drayton, the best way is to watch them back-to-back. The transition from the high school setting of the first film to the more "indie" feel of the sequel shows a real evolution in the filmmaking.
The best next step is to head over to Tubi and check out the original film before starting the sequel, as the character development in the first one is essential to understanding why the "intercepted" plot of the second movie hits so hard.