Disney is missing out on a huge fantasy show that could run for more than eight seasons — and is likely to define TV’s next big genre, assuming similar projects get off the ground. There’s been a big influx of fantasy shows since Game of Thrones‘ ending in 2019, but there’s a largely untapped segment of the category on-screen: romantasy. Despite the explosion of romantasy books like Fourth Wing, few of them have made the jump to TV or film. Yes, a Fourth Wing adaptation is in the works, as are numerous projects set to tackle the subgenre, from Netflix’s Quicksilver to Prime Video’s Powerless. Yet most of them are taking significant time to materialize, and many are stuck in development hell after years.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The latter doesn’t bode well, especially after one highly anticipated Hulu adaptation paused, then went sideways. It’s been over a year since it was officially axed, but it still feels like Disney is missing out by letting the rights lapse. Not only would the show draw a large established audience to Hulu, but it would give the streamer a long-running series with franchise potential. It’s a shame Disney and Hulu aren’t capitalizing on that, especially as the show could define the next big genre on TV.
Hulu’s Cancelled ACOTAR Show Is a Huge Missed Opportunity
In 2021, Hulu snagged the rights to Sarah J. Maas’ Court of Thorns & Roses series, which was meant to become a TV show on the platform. The books were some of the earliest and largest examples of romantasy going viral online, and they helped shape the now-prevalent joint genre. This made them an ideal choice to lead that charge on-screen, but Hulu’s adaptation was repeatedly met with hurdles and delays. By the time it was announced that the streamer wasn’t moving forward with the series after all (via Variety), few people were surprised. It did (and still does) feel like a missed opportunity, however, considering the massive popularity of Maas’ work.
ACOTAR wasn’t the only Maas story that Hulu acquired and failed to move forward with, either. The streamer was also meant to tackle Throne of Glass, picking up the rights to the author’s first published fantasy series in 2016 (via Variety). This never came to fruition, so Maas’ fans have been disappointed twice. And the choice to let both shows fall to the wayside is especially perplexing when you consider that A Court of Thorns & Roses alone could last 8 or more seasons.
A Court of Thorns & Roses Series Could Last 8+ Series & Kickstart a Franchise
In addition to giving Hulu a hugely popular fantasy series, A Court of Thorns & Roses would’ve given it a show with long legs. The series currently consists of five installments, with three more ACOTAR books on the horizon; the next two will be out on October 27 and January 12. That’s a ton of material to cover, especially since Maas’ novels are notably long. Assuming Hulu’s series would’ve stuck to streaming’s 8- to 10-episode seasons, the story had the potential to become a mainstay of the fantasy genre.
A Court of Thorns & Roses also comes with franchise potential, as Maas’ series overlaps slightly with Throne of Glass and more significantly with her Crescent City books. If ACOTAR did well enough to warrant a full adaptation, there’d be room for Hulu to expand its universe by adapting Maas’ other series as well. This would give Disney a full-blown fantasy franchise to rival those on other streaming platforms. With few of those platforms properly leaning into fantasy with an emphasis on romance, Disney would also get to define romantasy’s shift to the screen.
Disney Could Have Defined Romantasy on TV With Hulu’s ACOTAR Show
Although it’s taking major romantasy series a while to make their way to the screen, it seems inevitable that the category will get there eventually. There’s a huge audience for it, and projects like Fourth Wing and Powerless seem to be making progress, however slowly. It will only take one of these titles becoming a success to prove that Hollywood should prioritize romantasy more heavily. Hulu’s A Court of Thorns & Roses show could have made that case, giving all the other adaptations a blueprint to follow. Sadly, it looks like its competition will get there first. Any streamer would still be wise to pick up Maas’ story, however, as it has more potential for expansion than most of its competitors.
Do you think Disney and Hulu should have prioritized the ACOTAR series? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Studio Pierrot -
Image Courtesy of MAPPA -
Courtesy of Crunchyroll
