Adaptations
‘ACOTAR’ Alert: Everything We Know About the ‘A Court of Thorns & Roses’ TV Series
There are a few books that are synonymous with the term BookTok, but none more than A Court of Thorns and Roses. The Sarah J. Maas series about the Fae kingdoms of Prythian is a global sensation and has gotten thousands, if not millions, of people back into reading because of its viral likability. The first book in the series is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, though the plot expands significantly in the subsequent novels. It’s the romantasy prototype series for the TikTok age.
The intense popularity of the book series made the announcement of an A Court of Thorns and Roses TV show huge news. Hulu announced in 2021 that it was developing an ACOTAR TV show with Maas and Outlander boss Ronald D. Moore executive producing. Maas also announced on Instagram that she was co-writing the pilot with Moore, a personal hero of hers.
It’s been a rollercoaster of news since that original announcement, with many feeling very unsure that the ACOTAR series will ever see the light of day. Here’s everything we know about the ACOTAR TV show so far.
What is A Court of Thorns and Roses about?
A Court of Thorns and Roses is the name of the first book and overall series written by Maas about the Fae kingdoms in the fictional land of Prythian. The first three books in the ACOTAR series focus on Feyre, a human girl and primary provider for her sisters and father, who is taken to the Fae land of Prythian after she accidentally kills a Fae she mistakes for a wolf. Once in Prythian, under the guard of Tamlin and his best friend Lucien, Feyre learns that the majority of Prythian high lords are being kept prisoner “under the mountain” by an evil Fae named Amarantha.
As Feyre spends more time in the magical land, she discovers more dark secrets but also a sense of belonging for the very first time. As Amarantha’s power gathers, Feyre must decide whether she’s sticking with the humans or ready to risk it all for the kingdom she once feared.
What is the status of the ACOTAR TV Show?
After some debate in February 2024 when TV Line reported that the series was scrapped at Hulu, ACOTAR is still reportedly in development with 20th Century Studios, who originally bought the rights from Maas.
However, the future of the series remains uncertain. Maas deleted all mentions of the TV show from her Instagram in the summer of 2023, and Moore confirmed to Entertainment Weekly in July 2024 that he was no longer working on the series. That means that 20th Century needs to find new executive producers to create scripts and cast the show before they can go into pre-production.
Maas was seen having dinner with Margot Robbie, which fueled speculation that Robbie or her LuckyChap production company could be involved. The Barbie star is a huge fan of Maas’ books. “I think ACOTAR was my like way in, so that’s always [my favorite], I don’t know—it’s tough. I really couldn’t say—God, it’s like picking a favorite child. They’re all perfect,” she told Harper’s Bazaar.
Who has been cast in the ACOTAR TV show?
Moore and Maas managed to write a few scripts before things started to go south, but no one was officially cast in the series. There were internet rumors that Jacob Elordi was approached for the role of Rhysand, but that was before he became a bonafide movie star in 2023’s Priscilla and Saltburn. That means it’s still anyone’s guess who could play Feyre, Tamlin, and the rest of the Prythian crew if and when the show does get off the ground. We’ve made our picks along with the rest of the internet though…
How many books are in the ACOTAR series?
There are three books in the main Feyre-centered trilogy, a novella, and a fourth novel focused on a different character (which we won’t spoil in case you haven’t read Wings and Ruin yet). Maas is currently working on the sixth novel in the series, which we expect to come out in late 2025 or 2026. She also has the Throne of Glass (eight books) and Crescent City (three books) series, which tangentially exist in the same universe.
Do you need to read the entire ACOTAR series before the show comes out?
You technically don’t have to read all four and a half ACOTAR novels before the series comes out, but you definitely have the time to do so. It is likely that the first season will only cover the first book, so you don’t have to rush through reading it. However, the second book in the series, A Court of Mist and Fury, is largely considered the best of the bunch, so why deny yourself the fun? Throne of Glass and Crescent City are definitely not required reading for the first season of ACOTAR.
