Everything to Know About the ACOTAR TV Show Adaptation

Ronald D. Moore Steps Down as Showrunner

In recent news from Comic-Con 2024, fans were disheartened to learn that Ronald D. Moore would no longer be the showrunner for the highly anticipated “ACOTAR” TV series. This announcement marks a significant shift for the adaptation of Sarah J. Maas’s beloved fantasy series, which was initially set to be developed by Hulu.

Back in February, it was revealed that “ACOTAR” would be adapted for television, with Sarah J. Maas and Ron Moore—known for his acclaimed work on “Outlander“—collaborating on the project. Moore’s involvement was particularly exciting for fans, as his expertise in crafting intricate, engaging narratives in “Outlander” gave hope for a similarly rich adaptation of Maas’s world.

The news of Moore’s departure has been met with disappointment from fans, who feel that his vision and experience were crucial to the success of “Outlander”, a time-travel fantasy series that has garnered a significant following and critical acclaim. Many are concerned that this change could impact the direction and quality of the “ACOTAR” adaptation, even worrying that it might end up getting canceled.

And since we’re all still fresh from the wound Netflix dealt us recently when it canceled popular fantasy, dystopian book adaptation “Shadow and Bone”, we need “ACOTAR” to not be canceled like we need air.

What’s the snag?

Well, for one, fantasy series are notoriously hard to adapt. With all the world-building that is required for any fantasy adaptation, it is going to take the most time. The world-building would include the locations, set pieces, costumes, and CGI.

With the series having sold millions of copies worldwide, the challenge for the new showrunners will be to satisfy a dedicated and passionate fan base. The pressure is on to deliver a series that honors the rich, immersive world that readers have come to love.

What the people want (or don’t want, to be more accurate)

Someone wants the “Narnia vibes more than Game of Thrones vibes” for the adaptation, and someone just wants to cast their current favorite actor in the series, while a lot of someones don’t want the live-action tv series in the first place.

Or that’s the talk in the fandom that we’ve heard. Book readers want ACOTAR to be an animation, one of the main reasons for the same being the casting. Because whoever the showmakers cast, people wouldn’t be happy. 

Remember what the book community as a whole went through when they cast 40-year-old actors to play 20-something-year-olds in the live adaptation of “It Ends With Us”? What the makers then and now, aren’t understanding is that fan-casting is a thing and should be taken advantage of. 

And the other reason why book readers dread the live adaptation is of course the world building and the locations, which will be different from what they’ve been imagining until now while reading the books.

Fan casting

Bridgerton actress Hannah Dodd, told her fans on social media that she was reading ACOTAR and she really liked it, which was reciprocated by her fans suggesting to her that she should play Feyre, the protagonist in the books, for the TV adaptation. This brought about more speculation about Hannah fitting right into the universe of ACOTAR, and now fans want her to be a part of the show, as Elain Archeron, Feyre’s equally fierce second-eldest sister.

Thomas Doherty. Thomas Doherty is exactly who we picture when we think about Rhysand. I mean, who wouldn’t agree, right? He’s sexy, dangerous, stunningly beautiful and has the perfect devious smirk that Rhysand always seems to have. And the romance in his face, it just makes him the perfect candidate to melt the fierce and feisty, Feyre Archeron.

There’s a lot of speculation about who the fans want to cast for Feyre, which is to be expected seeing as the entire world of ACOTAR revolves around Feyre and her adventures across the faerie land of Prythian.

Number one choice is Danielle Rose Russell, who played a similarly strong female lead character in CW’s supernatural show “Legacies”. Other fan-cast actors for Feyre include Josephine Langford, Barbara Palvin (naturally), Kristine Forseth, and Talia Ryder.

Talia Ryder has played a Gen Z queer supporting character to a struggling American ballerina, but if she’s cast as Feyre this would be her first foray into the fantasy genre.
But regardless of who is chosen, it’s going to be difficult for them to act and behave exactly how their fictional counterparts have. Fairy tale AND a book adaptation? Oof, the showmakers are going to have a hard time replicating exactly what book readers imagined in their heads.