Hulu and 20th Television Team Up to Adapt Sheila Masterson’s Dark Enemies-to-Lovers Novel

EXCLUSIVE: In a move that highlights the growing popularity of the romantasy genre, Hulu is developing a drama series based on Sheila Masterson’s self-published novel, ‘The Poison Daughter.’

The novel, which has already gained a massive following since its self-publishing in October 2025, tells the story of Harlow Carrenwell, a young woman with a unique power – every person she kisses dies immediately. However, when she kisses a mark and he doesn’t die, her life is turned upside down, and she finds herself in a complicated relationship with her new betrothed, Henry Havenwood.

Sheila Masterson, the author of ‘The Poison Daughter,’ is set to executive produce the adaptation, which is currently looking for a writer. 20th Television is the studio behind the project, and with Hulu’s involvement, fans can expect a high-quality adaptation that brings Masterson’s dark and romantic world to life.

‘The Poison Daughter’ has already achieved significant success, selling over 250,000 copies since its self-publishing and hitting the USA Today Bestseller list three times. The novel will be published in hardcover and audiobook in the U.S. and UK on August 18, 2026, and will also be translated into 20 languages.

The success of ‘The Poison Daughter’ is not an isolated incident. The romantasy genre has been gaining popularity in recent years, with several high-profile adaptations in the works. Hulu and 20th TV previously teamed up to adapt Sarah J. Maas’ bestselling book series, ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses,’ as a drama series, although the project ultimately didn’t move forward. However, with the success of ‘The Poison Daughter,’ fans can expect to see more adaptations of popular romantasy novels in the future.

Other notable adaptations of romantasy novels include Prime Video’s greenlighting of a series based on Rebecca Yarros’ ‘Fourth Wing’ and Sony Pictures Television’s development of a series adaptation of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s ‘From Blood and Ash.’

Sheila Masterson’s other self-published works include the gothic fantasy romance ‘Song of the Dark Wood,’ the romantasy quartet ‘The Lost God series,’ and its standalone spinoff, ‘A Legacy of Stars.’ She is repped by CAA and Trellis Literary Management.

The success of self-published novels being adapted into movies and TV series is a testament to the power of the digital age in discovering new talent and stories. Other notable examples include Andy Weir’s ‘The Martian,’ Hugh Howey’s ‘Silo,’ and E.L. James’ ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’

With ‘The Poison Daughter’ set to join the list of self-published novels being adapted into movies and TV series, fans can expect to see more exciting adaptations in the future.