There is a wide world of source material ripe for adaptation, but A Court of Thorns and Roses seems like a no-brainer. If Twilight has taught us anything, it’s that everyone loves a love triangle.
So is the setup in Sarah J. Maas’ highly popular romance set in the fantasy world of Prythian. The series finds inspiration from classic fairy tales such as Beauty and the Beast and puts its own spin on it. The first book follows young Feyre, who finds herself in the magical world of faeries after killing a wolf in the woods. As punishment for killing the beast, she is taken prisoner in the faerie realm by Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court.
One thing leads to another so, of course, they fall in love. But there is something much more insidious going on in these magical lands. As Feyre learns the rules of her new home, she also meets the arrogant and equally attractive Rhysand. Hitting on all the tropes that romance fans love, this would be a perfect series for a live-action adaptation. But is that the course it’s set to take?
Is A Court of Thorns and Roses being adapted for television?
With five books in the original series, A Court of Thorns and Roses – or ACOTAR, if you prefer – has a lot of material to draw from. This is good news for television producers interested in taking a subject with an already established fan base with lots of stories to pull from. Famed television showrunner Ronald D. Moore seemed inclined to degree.
The executive producer is most famous for developing the sci-fi gem Battlestar Galactica as well as Starz’s Outlander. Recently, he teamed up with Maas to bring the world of Prythian to the screen. Reports stated that the fantasy series would have a home at Hulu after the two writers finished completing it, but as of November 2023, there had been no updates. Moore assured TVLine at the time that the series was still in the works, but with no further information.
“We’ve written some scripts, and we’re just sort of waiting. I think the whole town is kind of waiting to see if we have actors before things really move forward, but it’s still in development.”
This reveal coincided with the SAG-AFTRA strike that had thrown many productions for a loop. Unfortunately, it seemed that ACOTAR would be no different. TVLine initially followed up in February 2024 with news that Hulu was no longer planning on going forward with the series. However, it did not appear that the series was being shopped around, either. Despite the TVLine exclusive, Variety clarified that ACOTAR was not necessarily dead ⏤ at least not yet.
Fans can remain hopeful for the time being that Feyre, Tamlin, and Rhysand could make it to live-action. Sources informed Variety that ACOTAR still had a home at Hulu, but it’s currently unclear if the show is still in active development. While its future is uncertain, it isn’t likely to stay that way for long. The fantasy series has too much riding on it for it not to end up somewhere. Whether its destiny lies with Hulu or not remains to be seen.
