Disney Live Action has acquired film rights to Divine Rivals, Rebecca Ross’s fantasy romance that became a quiet publishing and BookTok phenomenon. The deal became possible because Paramount’s earlier hold on the property lapsed after its merger with Skydance.
Overseeing the project for Disney is SVP of Production Allison Erlikhman, reporting to Disney Live Action President Daria Cercek. The original producers, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Pouya Shahbazian, remain attached, and Ross will executive produce with Stephen Shafer. What changes is the screenwriter: Disney is tapping a new one because the earlier Paramount adaptation work was not inherited.
What the IP brings
The first book arrived in April 2023, and its sequel, Ruthless Vows, followed in December. The numbers matter because they reduce discovery cost for a future film:
- Divine Rivals: 1M+ copies sold, 104 weeks on the NYT Young Adult Bestseller List
- Ruthless Vows: 500K+ copies sold, No. 1 debut in January 2024, 42 weeks on the list
- Rebecca Ross: 3M sales worldwide, 250M TikTok views, 128 weeks on NYT lists, translated into 27 languages
In the story, two rival journalists fall in love through a magical connection while a war among gods forces them toward the underworld. That blend of romance, competition and fantasy stakes is the core the studio will need to preserve.
The rights lapse is the real lesson
Paramount won the book in June 2025 after a bidding war, with Sofia Alvarez adapting. Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount became official in August 2025. The rights then lapsed, and Disney moved in. Development portfolios often get re-prioritized during mergers; for producers and executives tracking IP, those transitions are exactly when titles can quietly come available.
Disney’s move is a low-cost commitment with strong demand signals: a proven bestseller, a sequel that started at No.1, and a creator with substantial TikTok reach. But the adaptation still needs a new script, a director, and a cast. The presence of Di Bonaventura’s banner, which has produced over 50 films grossing more than $7B globally, gives the package an experienced production base.
What to watch next
Ross’s next book, A Bittersweet Spell, releases April 6, 2027, which could extend author momentum around casting or early development news. For data-first entertainment teams, the actionable signals are simple: track lapsed rights windows, treat sustained bestseller and social metrics as demand indicators, and factor in producer continuity when evaluating an adaptation’s chances.
Source: Deadline
