Disney has secured the film rights to Divine Rivals, the romantic fantasy novel written by Rebecca Ross that until recently belonged to Paramount. The move, first reported by Deadline, reopens the possibilities for an adaptation that had been stalled for some time and now passes into the hands of one of Hollywood's major studios.
The operation is significant because it shows how the rights to literary properties with a large readership can change studios when projects fail to advance in time. In this case, Disney did not buy the novel directly from Paramount, but rather took advantage of the expiration of the previous agreement to develop its own version from scratch.
How Disney Took Advantage of Paramount’s Exit
In June 2025, Paramount acquired the rights to Divine Rivals after winning a competitive bidding war among several studios. At the time, the project seemed on track: the studio hired Sofia Alvarez, screenwriter of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, to write the script.
However, the adaptation never materialized, and the agreement expired without the film moving into production. That window was what Disney took advantage of, deciding to acquire the rights once they were released, which allows it to build its own proposal without continuity with Paramount's previous work.
Producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Pouya Shahbazian will remain attached to the new development. Rebecca Ross herself will serve as an executive producer alongside Stephen Shafer, while Disney searches for a new screenwriter to shape the project. For now, there is no director, cast, or release date confirmed.
What Divine Rivals Is About
The novel moves away from more conventional young adult fantasy. Its protagonist, Iris Winnow, is an eighteen-year-old journalist who works at the Oath Gazette newspaper while trying to support her family: her mother is struggling with addiction and her brother has disappeared on the front lines of a war.
That war is no ordinary conflict: the story takes place in a world where gods have awakened after centuries of slumber and have unleashed a confrontation that threatens all of humanity.
A Magical Correspondence Between Rivals
Working at the same newspaper is Roman Kitt, a colleague and direct rival of Iris for the same promotion. Their relationship is tense until magic crosses their lives. Iris begins writing letters addressed to her missing brother and slides them under the door of a wardrobe, never imagining that those letters mysteriously reach Roman.
He responds without revealing his identity, and thus begins a secret correspondence that ends up creating an emotional bond very different from the one they maintain in the newsroom. Meanwhile, the war draws ever closer to their lives.
A Setting Far From Traditional Fantasy
Divine Rivals combines a rivals-to-lovers romance with an aesthetic inspired by the early 20th century: newspapers, typewriters, and trenches coexist with supernatural powers and deities capable of altering human destiny.
This is not a medieval fantasy of castles and dragons, but a universe where the horrors of war are intertwined with magical elements and deeply human decisions.
A Story Already Concluded in Two Books
One advantage for Disney is that the plot is already complete. Divine Rivals is part of the Letters of Enchantment duology, published in 2023, which concludes with Ruthless Vows. This allows for planning an eventual continuation with the narrative arc defined from the start.
The books have found an audience similar to other phenomena in the romantic-fantasy genre, such as Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros or A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Even so, Rebecca Ross's proposal maintains its own tone, where romance coexists with the emotional consequences of war and family loss.
Can It Become a New Franchise?
It is still too early to tell. Disney has the rights and has started development, but key definitions such as the script, director, and cast remain. A second film has not been officially confirmed either.
What does exist is a consolidated base of readers and a visually attractive universe, with historically inspired cities, newsrooms, and a supernatural war in the background. The challenge will be to balance the spectacle with the more intimate part of the story, centered on the relationship between Iris and Roman.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Divine Rivals?
It is a romantic fantasy novel written by Rebecca Ross, set in a world where gods awaken and unleash a war that directly affects its protagonists.
Why does Disney have the rights now and not Paramount?
Paramount obtained the rights in June 2025, but the project did not advance and the agreement expired. Disney took advantage of that situation to acquire the rights and develop its own adaptation.
Who was working on the Paramount version?
Paramount had hired Sofia Alvarez, screenwriter of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, to write the script, although the project did not materialize.
Who are the protagonists of the story?
Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, two rival journalists who end up connected through a magical correspondence in the middle of a war between gods.
Does the story have a sequel?
Yes. Divine Rivals is the first book in the Letters of Enchantment duology, which concludes with Ruthless Vows, published in 2023.
When will the Disney movie be released?
There is no confirmed release date yet. Disney is in the development phase and has yet to announce a director, cast, and screenwriter.
