Romantasy is all the rage right now, but Hollywood has been surprisingly slow to adapt, meaning the best stories have yet to be adopted for either the big or small screen. Readers of Sarah J. Maas’ epic A Court of Thorns and Roses books were disappointed last February when news broke that a TV adaptation has been canceled, and Maas herself has remained silent on this – at least, until now.
Speaking on the latest Call Her Daddy podcast, Maas has finally given an important hint what happened. “I have the rights back to everything now,” she explained happily. “I look at any TV movie adaptation as kind of another facet of the worlds that I’ve created. And it’s something that I want to be in charge of, I want to be figuring out, I want to be learning everything that I can. I’m a type A control freak a little bit, but I want to know everything about how it gets made, not because of that control, but just because I love movies. I love TV. I want to be a part of that, and I want to see everything adapted the way I envision it and the way I know fans want it.”
There had been rumors of creative differences delaying A Court of Thorns and Roses‘ TV adaptation, and Maas clearly seems to be confirming that. She insists that she’s utterly disinterested in switching things up to appeal to new demographics, because she views literature as art, and wants to feel proud of the art she creates in all its forms. “When I do it, it’s gonna be me, and I will dedicate everything that I have to making it right.”
Sarah J. Maas’ Priority Is On New Novels, Not TV Shows or Movies
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Hulu’s ACOTAR adaptation may be dead, and the rights may have been returned, but this isn’t Maas’ priority right now. Speaking in the same podcast, Maas announced release dates for the next books in the series; a sprawling, overarching narrative that will be split through no less than three novels. The first will be released in October 2026, while the second will be published in January 2027. Maas didn’t confirm the names for any of these books, leaving her thrilled fanbase ablaze with speculation.
Maas is just the latest fantasy writer to want control over her adaptations. Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive is finally happening at Apple TV, and Sanderson will be heavily involved with the whole process. According to reports, the celebrated author will have rare creative control over every decision, overseeing as a writer, producer, and consultant. Writers tend to have only limited influence – Andrzej Sapkowski, for example, has complained about his lack of control over The Witcher. We’re clearly entering a new age, where fantasy writers want much more say over different versions of their stories.
For now, it’s pretty clear that an ACOTAR adaptation – whether in film or TV – will take quite some time to happen. Maas has a huge narrative in the works, one that will span no less than four books, and she’s also working on a Crescent City novel as well. In truth, readers will be delighted to hear that, simply because it’s surely better than the series continues.
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