A Court Of Thorns And Roses Writer, Streaming, And More Details

The fantasy fever induced on Hollywood following "Game of Thrones" has undoubtedly cooled since the series ended, but that hasn't stopped streamers from continuing their search for fantasy books to adapt to TV. And in 2021, it was first reported that the streaming realm would soon be adding to the list of potential fantasy sensations via a serialized adaptation of the best-selling novel "A Court of Thorns and Roses."

Penned by Sarah J. Maas, the novel was first released in 2015, and quickly became a hit among the young adult set who fancy a heavy dose of romance with tales of fantastical worlds populated by mythical creatures. The support of those readers no doubt helped land Maas' book on many-a year end "Best Of" list,as well as spawning multiple sequels. And it's certainly helped speed the journey of "A Court of Thorns and Roses" to its Hollywood debut. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming series.

Before we get too far along here, it should be noted that as of this writing, we don't know exactly when the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" adaptation will make its streaming debut. Little has been heard about the series since 2021. So quiet have rumblings been, in fact, that some of the "ACOTAR" super fans out there had recently begun to wonder if the adaptation had been shelved.

Thankfully, one of the key creatives behind the series, Ronald D. Moore, confirmed to TV Line in November 2023 that the project is very much alive, and in active development. So, fans can breathe a little easier knowing that a live-action series inspired by the beloved novel is still on the way. Per that same report, however, it seems the "ACOTAR" adaptation is not quite as far along its development path as it perhaps should be, given the timeline — and it stands to reason that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have no doubt played a role in delaying it. 

Considering the complexity of adapting these books, and the fact that the series is still in scripting stage, it seems likely that fans should expect to have a long wait before they get to binge-watch the "ACOTAR" adaptation. On the upside, that gives potential new fans some time to catch up on all the books.

If you're not a fantasy fiction die-hard, you might be wondering exactly what "A Court of Thorns and Roses" is about. According to Sarah J. Maas, the story was inspired by the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast," with the scribe telling USA Today the initial idea broke when she asked herself, "'What if beauty was a huntress?" followed by the question, "What if the beast was a shape-shifting, very sexy Faerie lord?"

Those questions helped Maas forge a fantastical tale of a human teen huntress named Feyre Archeron who, upon killing a faerie wolf in the wild and earning the ire of a beastly creature, travels with him to the dreaded Faerie realm hoping to protect her family. There, her captor reveals himself to be a shape-shifting Faerie lord named Tamlin (and yes, this Faerie just so happens to be a total fox). As Feyre spends more time in the Fae lands, and falls hard for Tamlin, she discovers most of what she's been told about his world is completely false. She also learns she might be the only human alive who can help save Tamlin and his people from evil ancient curse.

Now that you know what "A Court of Thorns and Roses" is about, you might be wondering which of Hollywood's talented young stars could be stepping into key roles on the series. Unfortunately, there's been no official word on casting from anyone involved in the production. And given that the project still appears to be in early stages of development, it'll likely to be a while before any casting news breaks for "ACOTAR."

The general silence regarding the series' casting will, of course, give fans of the book plenty of time to build their own short-list of actors they'd love to see in each and every role. And it seems "Stargirl" breakout Brec Bessinger is genuinely hoping her name is among those listed. The actor admitted as much during a 2023 chat with TV Line, telling the publication she's become such a big fan of the book she's now desperate to play a role in the adaptation. And she's apparently already selected the role she wants, stating, "I'm not fiery enough for Nesta. I don't present old enough for Feyre. I feel like I'd make a good Elain, but I'll be whoever."

Will producers agree? That remains to be seen, but clearly, she's a fan of the books. For now, there's been no official word on casting, which makes sense given the strikes that took up a big chunk of 2023. 

While there's been no official casting news regarding "A Court of Thorns and Roses," we do know which screenwriters have been tapped to bring the adaptation to the screen, with Ronald D. Moore and Sarah J. Maas penning scripts for the series. Maas is, of course, the writer who birthed the entire "ACOTAR" world in the first place, so fans should be over the moon that she's working on scripts for the adaptation. She was also the one who broke the news that the book was being adapted in 2021 via a glowing Instagram post. 

As for Moore, he's become a bit of a low-key sci-fi legend over the years, having cut his teeth on several "Star Trek" series before delivering the celebrated "Battlestar Galactica" reboot, followed by "Outlander," and now the current Apple TV+ hit "For All Mankind." With Moore also serving as showrunner on several of those projects, it's possible he'll also claim that role on "ACOTAR," though that's just speculation. As Moore recently noted to TV Line, several scripts have actually been written for the series, though it's unclear how many he and Maas were involved in.

As for which company Ronald D. Moore and Sarah J. Maas are working with on their adaptation of "A Court of Thorns and Roses," it appears the series is being backed by 20th Television. Per IMDb, they'll produce alongside Moore's own Tall Ship Productions. For now, it appears that Hulu will be the series' future home. 

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" certainly sounds like one of the bigger original productions Hulu has undertaken to date too, with the streamer having previously — save for perhaps "The Handmaid's Tale" — served up shows that unfold on a smaller production scale. "ACOTAR" will also be one of Hulu's first live-action projects to lean so directly into fantasy. Scope aside, with "ACOTAR" boasting a built-in fanbase, the streamer could have a massive hit on its hands if Moore and Maas can deliver on its narrative promise.

If "A Court of Thorns and Roses" does become a hit for Hulu, the streamer will no doubt be looking to go full franchise mode for the fantasy series. And that should be particularly easy for the show's creative team, as Sarah J. Maas has penned a total of four additional novels set in the "ACOTAR" world since the original book's 2015 release.

The first of those sequels arrived in 2016's "A Court of Mist and Fury," with "A Court of Wings and Ruin," "A Court of Frost and Starlight," and "A Court of Silver Flames" dropping in 2017, 2018, and 2021 respectively. As you might expect, each of those follow-ups expands on Maas' "ACOTAR" creations in compelling fashion, making a legit epic of Feyre Archeron's journey from mere mortal huntress to a central figure in the land of the Faerie. So, if Hulu can tap into that story in a way that pleases both "ACOTAR" diehards, and those unfamiliar with Maas' world, the streamer could keep this fantasy saga going via extra seasons and spin-offs for many years to come.