‘From Blood and Ash’ Series Is Coming to Sony TV—and Jennifer L. Armentrout Fans Already Have Feelings About the Cast
The response to the news that Sony Pictures Television was developing Jennifer L. Armentrout’s fantasy-romance series From Blood and Ash for TV was nothing less than seismic, although it was made up of equal doses of excitement and anxiety. And not because the fans didn’t want an adaptation.
The concern flooding Reddit threads and fan discussions wasn’t whether the books should make the leap to television, but whether any studio could successfully capture what readers believe made the series special in the first place. Which is actually a recurring issue in the rapidly growing world of “romantasy,” the publishing genre blending fantasy, romance and emotionally driven storytelling. Following the phenomenal success of Fourth Wing and the ongoing popularity of A Court of Thorns and Roses, Hollywood has begun aggressively circling BookTok-driven fantasy properties with devoted fanbases already built in. From Blood and Ash has increasingly become a part of that conversation.
The From Blood and Ash book series began in 2020 with the publication of its first novel and has since expanded into a multi-book saga that includes five main installments to date, along with a growing number of interconnected prequel novels set in the same world. At its core, the story centers on Penellaphe “Poppy” Balfour, a young woman known as “The Maiden,” who begins questioning the rigid society controlling her life while falling into a dangerous and emotionally charged relationship with Hawke Flynn, a royal guard who may not be who he claims to be. As the books unfold, what starts as a relatively contained narrative widens considerably to encompass warring kingdoms, layered supernatural mythology, ancient gods and increasingly complex (and volatile) relationships that have helped fuel passion for them.
Not surprisingly, the franchise has developed a particularly fervent online following, which helps explain why even the earliest whispers of a television adaptation have already sparked fierce debate—one of the most surprising being whether the series should be brought to life at all.
On Reddit’s r/frombloodandash community, several commenters argued that the scope of the books, along with readers’ intensely specific visions of the characters, might actually make animation a better fit. One fan bluntly wrote, “Unless it’s animated and sticks exactly to the books, I don’t want it.”
While that sentiment may sound extreme to outsiders, it reflects a larger concern shared throughout fantasy fandoms in recent years: the fear that sprawling fictional worlds will be watered down once they collide with television budgets, casting realities and the compromises of adaptation. And casting, unsurprisingly, has already become its own battleground.
Who could play Poppy and Casteel? Fancasting picks
Even though no actors have been announced or even rumored at this point, and no streamer has officially been attached to the show publicly, fancasting discussions have exploded online. Fans are already debating who could play Poppy and Hawke—known later in the books as Casteel—while simultaneously worrying that whoever is eventually chosen may never align with the versions readers have imagined for years.
Across Reddit, TikTok and Instagram, a handful of familiar genre names surface repeatedly. For Poppy, suggestions have included Danielle Rose Russell (from Legacies), Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why) and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), all cited for their ability to balance vulnerability with emotional intensity. For Casteel, names like Hero Fiennes Tiffin (After), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) and Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone) come up often, typically for their brooding screen presence and romantic appeal.
Simultaneously, those same conversations tend to undercut themselves almost immediately. For every fan who champions a particular actor, another pushes back that the choice feels too obvious, too old or too closely associated with another franchise. In fact, one of the most consistent throughlines across these discussions is a desire for complete unknowns; actors without preexisting baggage who can become Poppy and Casteel in the same way Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe ultimately defined their roles on Outlander.
It’s a level of emotional investment that may explain why the studios have begun pursuing these properties so aggressively. Much the way Outlander built a fiercely loyal audience through its combination of romance, fantasy and emotional storytelling, romantasy fandoms often function less like traditional sci-fi communities and more like deeply personal relationship-driven fandom spaces where readers become emotionally attached to the characters and relationships in ways that can fuel years of online engagement.
What Jennifer Armentrout says about the Sony deal
Before Sony acquired the rights, the books had previously been set up at Amazon Studios with plans for a series adaptation there. That version ultimately stalled, with the option eventually expiring. For some fans, Sony stepping in represented a fresh start rather than another setback.
Armentrout herself appeared encouraged by the move. In a statement shared on Instagram following the Sony announcement, she wrote, “It’s been so hard keeping quiet on this. I am so incredibly thrilled to share that Sony jumped in with a strong creative team. I’ve spoken with the team and I know the story and characters are once more in great hands. Can’t wait to share more with you.”
That’s a pretty significant statement given that in fandom-heavy properties like this—especially these days—authors often become intertwined with adaptation discussions in ways that go beyond simple creator involvement. Fans frequently look to them almost as guardians of the material itself, particularly when adaptations enter uncertain territory, which certainly defines the situation at this moment.
There’s obviously much more to come.
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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 1:51 PM.