Romantasy

Sarah J. Maas Is Expanding the ‘ACOTAR’ Universe — But There’s a Twist

The Sarah J. Maas universe is about to get a whole lot bigger.

Fans have been anxiously awaiting news about ACOTAR 6 for years now, and the author has an exciting update about the future of the universe. However, it’s not exactly what you think.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a release date for ACOTAR 6 yet. (Sorry, readers. We know as little as you do.) But, The Hollywood Reporter just shared new details to tide us over.

Maas’ books are getting the licensing treatment. Soon, readers will be able to get their hands on official ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City-themed goods. Under Maas’ exclusive worldwide deal with IMG Licensing, apparel, beauty, lifestyle, home décor, wine and spirits, food and beverage, toys and games, collectibles, cosplay, and immersive fan experiences will be released under the umbrella of Maas’ fictional world. It hasn’t been revealed when exactly IMG will start rolling those things out.

“We’re excited to launch a dynamic and carefully curated licensing program that offers fans meaningful new ways to celebrate the characters and stories they love,” IMG Licensing VP Samantha Chang said.

Maas has sold over 70 million copies of her books worldwide, but she hasn’t offered merchandise until now. So far, many readers have turned to sites like Etsy for bootleg items. With the licensing news, some fans questioned how it’ll affect those sellers, as well as the event companies that throw ACOTAR-themed balls.

@fantastique.collection Dancing with all you magical beings was our favorite part of the evening! Until next time 🫶✨ Tagging as many people as possible! Tag someone you know if you see them out there! @Connor and Maddie @MADDIE TARBOX VOCAL STUDIO @Whimsy Gossip Podcast 📚✨🎙️ @katy 🐦‍⬛ ×azriel’s version× ✨ @⚔️ Morally Gray Nesta ⚔️ @Ballroom Blitz Geek @RachieBear ♬ original sound – Fantastique Collection by UJDA

According to one Reddit commenter, those events hit a snag with licensing issues well before the IMG deal was announced. “The event runners announced in the spring they’re not allowed to do acotar events anymore because there’s huge licensing fees they can’t afford,” they said. “It was fun while it lasted.”

Another mentioned something similar happening to unofficial merch sellers. “They’ve been pretty strict with licensing to small stores and Etsy creators the last couple years, so they will probably be coming even stricter with anyone doing bootleg stuff!” they wrote.

What are you most excited to see come out of Maas’ licensing agreement? Comment below!