Adaptations of books are quite commonplace in Hollywood. However, there is often a tug-of-war between the makers of a specific adaptation and the original author of the book. Most writers want significant creative control over how their stories are translated to the screen. Sarah J. Maas, the author of the hugely popular young-adult fantasy-romance series A Court of Thorns and Roses, is no different.
“Control freak” Sarah J. Maas wants A Court of Thorns and Roses adaptation to align with her vision
The long-planned streaming series based on A Court of Thorns and Roses with streaming giant Hulu is now confirmed dead in the water, with Sarah J. Maas confirming that she has gotten the adaptation rights back in a recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast. “I have the rights back to everything now,” she told host Alex Cooper, adding, “Getting the rights back to all my things has been a big part of my journey in recent years.”
The adaptation was first announced in 2021, with Ronald D. Moore confirmed as the showrunner. Even as early as February 2024, Hulu had reassured fans that the TV series adaptation was still in development. However, in July 2024, Moore revealed that he was no longer part of the book series adaptation, effectively pulling the plug on Hulu’s planned project.
Maas further told Cooper that she was a bit of a “control freak” and wanted the books to be adapted the way she “envisions” them. “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,” she said.
Further explaining why she wants full creative control over the adaptation, Maas said she does not want to change aspects of her books simply to appeal to a particular demographic. She also said she would like to be involved in almost every department of the filmmaking process, from design to sound.
However, for now, she is focused on expanding her A Court of Thorns and Roses franchise, revealing that the sixth and seventh books are scheduled for release on Oct. 27, 2026, and Jan. 12, 2027.