Sarah J. Maas' stories are brimming with content that would make for excellent television adaptations, and her A Court of Thorns and Roses was picked up by Hulu — though the adaptation's prospects look grim after it was taken out of active development and lost its showrunner earlier this year. The complex world-building and dynamic characters found throughout Maas' books provide great foundations for on-screen adaptations. Many are hoping Hulu's Court of Thorns and Roses TV show will still happen, but another forgotten Maas adaptation should have been first.

Throne of Glass is Maas' first fantasy series, and while it starts off less mature than ACOTAR, it's a beloved part of the author's lineup. future A Court of Thorns and Roses books.

Hulu Announced A Throne Of Glass Show Before ACOTAR's Adaptation — What Happened?

Throne Of Glass' Production Quietly Stalled Back In 2016

Maas' Throne of Glass was first optioned for television back in 2016, with Hulu announcing it would adapt Throne of Glass a couple of years after the release of Empire of Storms. The Throne of Glass show was to be named after the fourth book in the series, Queen of Shadows, and Maas even shared an image of the pilot script on Instagram. There were noteworthy names attached to the project, including Kira Snyder (The Handmaid's Tale and The 100) as a writer and Anna Foerster (Outlander) as a director.

Unfortunately, what looked to be a promising pick-up by Hulu stalled and was seemingly shelved.

Unfortunately, what looked to be a promising pick-up by Hulu stalled and was seemingly shelved. Since the initial announcement back in 2016, there have been no updates about the Throne of Glass TV show — a huge disappointment for fans of the books. With little information as to why the project was either paused or shelved, it's unlikely Throne of Glass will receive an adaptation any time soon. Things looked more hopeful for Hulu's Court of Thorns and Roses show, but it would have been better to adapt Maas' fantasy series in publication order.

Throne Of Glass Serves As A Better Introduction To The Maasverse Than ACOTAR

Both ACOTAR & Crescent City Are Built Upon Throne Of Glass' Foundations

All of Maas' series deserve an adaptation, but Throne of Glass would serve as a better introduction into the complex world-building found in the Maasverse. Throne of Glass balances multiple storylines throughout its narrative, but Maas puts a heavy emphasis on its immersive fantasy landscape. Both the political dynamics and magic systems found in the series greatly affect Maas' later works, as she builds the worlds of Prythian and Midgard to exist within the same universe. Throne of Glass also begins the series at a much slower pace, gradually introducing more complicated world-building elements to readers.

The way in which the plot progresses would make for a compelling TV adaptation, as viewers could gradually adapt to the Maasverse's core rules and lore. For instance, Throne of Glass' main plot revolves around the idea of Wyrd gates, helping set up the foundations of a multiverse element present in all three of Mass' book series. If the ACOTAR adaptation is faithful to the source material, it will need to explain the multiverse dynamics — something only Throne of Glass has done thus far.

Throne Of Glass Is Needed To Set Up A Court Of Thorns & Roses Crossovers Later On

The Multiverse Storyline Is A Major Plot Focus In Throne Of Glass

Maas' later book series often include nods to the world found in Throne of Glass, and she has teased on multiple occasions the possibility of a crossover. Already next A Court of Thorns and Roses book will expand on this dynamic. Given Throne of Glass focuses so heavily on the multiverse narrative, audiences would benefit from its adaptation ahead of ACOTAR.

While the multiverse plot won't debut until much later in the ACOTAR series, it is still an important element Hulu will need to strategically prepare for.

Obviously, Hulu's A Court of Thorns and Roses adaptation can choose to deviate from the books to make sense of this plot line, but it would likely receive backlash for doing so. While the multiverse plot won't debut until much later in the ACOTAR series, it is still an important element Hulu will need to strategically prepare for. As there have yet to be significant developments with Hulu's production, it's possible the studio needs to examine the idea of reintroducing a Throne of Glass adaptation prior to or alongside of its A Court of Thorns and Roses adaptation.