Disney Officially Snatches Romantasy Franchise from Paramount

A Strategic Move for Original Content

Disney built its reputation on bringing magic to life. It is one of the largest companies globally. The firm owns properties across various media verticals. It also operates famous theme parks. Much of its success comes from producing high-quality stories. These span multiple genres, including fantasy and romance. Disney holds recognized intellectual properties like Marvel and Star Wars. It also owns Pixar and the classic animation library. Through strategic acquisitions, the company transformed. It evolved from a traditional animation studio. It became an unmatched global media empire. Disney continues to innovate while leveraging nostalgia. It maintains tight control over global entertainment. Its true magic lies in transforming creative stories. It turns them into a multi-billion dollar corporate empire. However, audiences demand new content. Every company must offer something fresh to keep viewers engaged. Disney is committed to developing original ideas.

The Acquisition of Divine Rivals

Deadline reports that Disney officially acquired the rights to Rebecca Ross’s novel. The book is titled Divine Rivals. Disney intervened to take these rights from Paramount. Paramount had won the rights in a bidding war. This happened in June 2025. However, the rights expired later. This occurred when Paramount merged with SkyDance. Divine Rivals is part of Ross’s Letter of Enchantment duology. It was published in April 2023. The sequel, Ruthless Vows, followed in December of that year. The book sold over one million copies. It built a powerful online community. This group is especially strong on BookTok.

Script Development and Story Details

When Paramount acquired the rights, Sofia Alvarez was attached. She wrote the hit Netflix film To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. However, her commitment ended when the rights expired. Disney is now seeking a new screenwriter. The story introduces enemies-to-lovers dynamics in a unique way. It follows Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt. Both work for the Oath Gazette as rivals. At home, Iris faces family problems. Her brother disappears after being forced to fight for the gods. He vanishes from the front, causing immense pain. Iris’s letters to her brother fall into Roman’s hands. This triggers an improbable magical bond. The novel asks if their bond can survive the fight for humanity’s fate. It also asks if it can survive love. Divine Rivals is in early production stages. We will keep you updated on casting news.