The media has been in an uproar since Disney lost the rights to Children of Blood and Bone and the IP landed at Paramount. Tomi Adeyemi’s boundary-breaking YA fantasy book series is finally getting the screen adaptation it deserves, but Disney isn’t going to reap the rewards. After losing out on this project, it would make sense for Disney to cling to the rights it still has to iconic fantasy books. In recent years, interest in speculative fiction has been growing, and it’s clear there’s a demand in the market for great fantasy movies and TV shows.

The Children of Blood and Bone movie adaptation is exciting for many reasons, as it has the potential to be the biggest fantasy franchise of the 2020s. However, this was far from Disney’s only intellectual property that would’ve filled this niche. Unfortunately, the studio has repeated its decision to set another iconic novel series loose. Fans of Children of Blood and Bone who watched Disney let the story sit on its shelf, never bringing it to life, might be shocked to learn that Disney is repeating this misstep, which the studio might come to regret.

Disney Is Repeating The Same Mistake It Made With Children Of Blood & Bone With ACOTAR

This isn’t the first time Disney has let go of a potential blockbuster hit

Though it’s a bit confusing how Disney lost the rights to Children of Blood and Bone, the studio has been more than happy to do the same with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Though Children of Blood and Bone falls within the YA genre and ACOTAR is a romantasy series intended for adult readers, the fantasy series have followed similar trajectories in their potential screen adaptations. When the news came out that Disney wasn’t going to continue with its highly anticipated ACOTAR TV show, it was a major blow to the fandom and disappointing for the studio.

Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses book series has made its mark on the fantasy genre. Since the first book was released in 2015, it’s been one of the definitive additions to the romantasy genre of the 21st century, frequently referenced and discussed within fantasy circles. This kind of press and popularity would’ve all but ensured the popularity of a screen iteration of the story. While it would’ve been difficult to get the story right and meet audience expectations, it doesn’t make sense that Disney wouldn’t rise to the challenge.

The ACOTAR Show’s Fate Proves Disney Hasn’t Learned From Losing Its Big Fantasy Franchise

Disney is repeating the past with its ACOTAR decision

Now that it’s been confirmed that Hulu’s A Court of Thorns and Roses show isn’t happening, it’s frustrating to see that Disney is setting a precedent with these big fantasy franchises. While it’s true that Disney has had no trouble making money and landing the rights for plenty of great books and original scripts, it’s surprising that the studio is so willing to let go of two mᴀssive franchises. Within the YA and romantasy genres, there are very few series with the following and name recognition of Children of Blood and Bone and ACOTAR​​​​​​.

Now that Children of Blood and Bone has been making a splash in the media since it moved to Paramount, Disney might be rethinking its decision to let the rights expire. Instead of learning from this mistake, the studio has done the same with ACOTAR, which could’ve easily found a place in the contemporary fantasy genre on TV. Television is still in the middle of a fantasy renaissance, and ACOTAR would’ve easily stood out thanks to the romance angle and the popularity of Maas’ work. ACOTAR isn’t the only series by Maas that has garnered international attention.

Children Of Blood & Bone’s Progress At Paramount Offers Hope For A Court Of Thorns & Roses

Fans shouldn’t give up on the possibility of an ACOTAR show

Although it’s inconvenient for those who have been waiting for the ACOTAR screen adaptation for a long time, the future of Children of Blood and Bone is great news for ACOTAR. Since Paramount picked up the Children of Blood and Bone movie, there have been huge strides forward in bringing the project to life. With Gina Prince-Bythewood attached to direct and an all-star cast confirmed to be starring, it seems as though moving to Paramount was what the upcoming film needed. While Adeyemi’s series was with Disney, little forward momentum was made to propel the project.

It’s not uncommon for studios to let intellectual property rights expire, and it’s better for the overall longevity of A Court of Thorns and Roses show if it lands with the right production company. Though it means the series is back to square one and is going to be shopped around to other studios, there’s likely a great company waiting to snap up the rights and give A Court of Thorns and Roses the same treatment as the upcoming Children of Blood and Bone movie. It will be interesting to see where Maas’ beloved story lands.