After years of fans wondering whether Jude Duarte and Cardan Greenbriar would ever make it to the screen, The Cruel Prince is getting another shot at an adaptation. Amazon Studios has picked up Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air, the bestselling fantasy series that begins with The Cruel Prince. Scott Free Productions is attached to the project, and Black herself will be involved as a producer. The news is particularly significant because this is not the first attempt to bring The Cruel Prince to the screen. Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the first novel nearly a decade ago, but that version never materialized.
So, what do we actually know about the new adaptation? Here is the current status of The Cruel Prince / The Folk of the Air adaptation, including the studio, format, casting and what happened to the original movie project.
- Amazon Studios is developing a new adaptation of Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air
- The Cruel Prince is the first book in the series and will be the main entry point for the adaptation
- Scott Free Productions is attached, and Holly Black is involved as a producer
- No cast, release date, production start, or final screen format has been announced yet
The Cruel Prince Is Being Adapted by Amazon
Amazon Studios has acquired an adaptation of The Folk of the Air, Holly Black’s fantasy series centered on the mortal Jude Duarte and the dangerous world of Elfhame. The project will involve Scott Free Productions, the production company founded by filmmaker Ridley Scott, while Holly Black is attached on the producing side. For fans, this means that the adaptation has a new studio home and active production partners after years without meaningful progress on the previous version. However, the project is still in an early stage of development. Amazon has not announced a cast, production date or release window.
Current status
- Source material: The Folk of the Air by Holly Black
- First book: The Cruel Prince
- Studio: Amazon Studios
- Production company: Scott Free Productions
- Author involvement: Holly Black is attached as a producer
- Cast: Not announced
- Release date: Not announced
- Status: In development
Is The Cruel Prince Becoming a Movie or TV Series?
This is where things get slightly confusing.
Some reports have described Amazon’s project as a TV series, but the initial information surrounding the deal does not clearly establish the final format. One report on the acquisition specifically notes that Amazon has not yet announced whether it will become a film or television series.
Until Amazon or the production team provides more details, it is therefore safer to describe it simply as a screen adaptation of The Folk of the Air.
A television series would certainly make sense. Holly Black’s world contains multiple novels, complicated court politics, shifting alliances and character arcs that stretch far beyond The Cruel Prince. But for now, fans should treat claims about the exact format cautiously.
Is Ridley Scott Making The Cruel Prince?
Scott Free Productions is attached to the adaptation, but that does not mean Ridley Scott himself will direct it.
Scott Free is the film and television production company founded by Ridley and Tony Scott and has produced a large catalogue of projects across film and television.
At the moment, Amazon has not announced a director, showrunner or screenwriter for The Folk of the Air. Ridley Scott has also not been announced as the project’s director.
Is Holly Black Involved in the Adaptation?
Yes. Holly Black is attached as a producer, giving the author a formal role in bringing Elfhame to the screen. That is one of the more encouraging details of the announcement, particularly given how much of The Folk of the Air depends on its distinctive tone: brutal faerie politics, morally complicated characters and the constantly shifting power dynamic between Jude and Cardan. Exactly how much creative control Black will have has not been disclosed.
✨ Return to Elfhame
A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters brings readers back to the world of The Cruel Prince with six illustrated short stories, including two never-before-seen stories from the world of Elfhame.
Pre-Order on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting our work!
What Happened to the Original The Cruel Prince Movie?
This actually isn’t Hollywood’s first attempt to adapt the book.
In June 2017, Universal Pictures won an auction for the screen rights to The Cruel Prince, months before the novel’s January 2018 publication. At the time, Michael De Luca was attached to produce through Michael De Luca Productions. Universal executive Kristin Lowe was overseeing the project for the studio. But the adaptation never reached the screen. No cast was announced, filming never began publicly, and years passed without a meaningful production update. The project effectively disappeared while The Cruel Prince and the rest of The Folk of the Air grew into much larger hits with readers.
The new Amazon deal therefore represents a new attempt to adapt Holly Black’s faerie world, rather than the long-awaited production of Universal’s original movie.
Has The Cruel Prince Cast Been Announced?
No. There is currently no official cast for The Cruel Prince adaptation. That means no one has been announced as:
- Jude Duarte
- Cardan Greenbriar
- Taryn Duarte
- Madoc
- Vivi
- Locke
- Nicasia
Any Jude or Cardan casting currently circulating online should be treated as fan casting, not an official announcement. Casting will likely be one of the biggest updates to watch once Amazon moves the project further into development.
What Is The Cruel Prince About?
The Cruel Prince follows Jude Duarte, a mortal girl who grows up in the dangerous world of Faerie. After Jude and her sisters are taken to Faerie as children, she spends years trying to earn a place in a society where many fae openly despise humans. Among them is Prince Cardan, the youngest son of the High King. But Jude refuses to remain powerless. Her determination pulls her deeper into the politics of the High Court of Faerie, where alliances rarely last, manipulation is a weapon and the struggle for the throne becomes increasingly dangerous. What begins as Jude’s fight to belong eventually develops into a much larger story about power, ambition, betrayal and her volatile relationship with Cardan.
Which Books Could The Folk of the Air Adaptation Cover?
The core Folk of the Air story includes:
- The Cruel Prince
- The Wicked King
- The Queen of Nothing
Holly Black later expanded Jude and Cardan’s story with How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories. But Elfhame is much larger than the original trilogy. Black also returned to the world with the Novels of Elfhame, following Prince Oak and Suren:
- The Stolen Heir
- The Prisoner’s Throne
Her official website confirms that these stories share the wider Elfhame universe and that Black has not finished exploring it. That gives Amazon considerably more material to work with if the adaptation becomes successful. For now, though, Amazon has not announced exactly which books the first adaptation will cover.
When Will The Cruel Prince Adaptation Be Released?
There is currently no release date for The Cruel Prince adaptation, and Amazon has not announced when production will begin. Any premiere date circulating online would therefore be speculation. The next major updates to watch for are likely to be:
- confirmation of whether it will be a movie or TV series
- a writer or showrunner
- casting for Jude and Cardan
- a production start date
- confirmation of where the adaptation will eventually stream
Will The Cruel Prince Be on Prime Video?
Not officially confirmed yet. Amazon Studios is behind the new adaptation, which makes Prime Video a likely home if the project becomes a streaming series. However, Amazon has not announced a platform or release strategy, so The Cruel Prince should not yet be described as an officially confirmed Prime Video series.
The Cruel Prince Adaptation: Latest Status
For now, the biggest news is simple: The Folk of the Air finally has a new adaptation in development. Amazon Studios has picked up Holly Black’s faerie series, Scott Free Productions is involved and Holly Black will help produce the project. That is already considerably more promising than the years of silence surrounding Universal’s abandoned attempt to adapt The Cruel Prince. But the project still has a long way to go. There is currently no official cast, release date, production date or confirmed screen format. Until Amazon reveals the next stage of development, Jude and Cardan’s return to the screen remains confirmed — but still very much in its early stages.
FAQ
Is The Cruel Prince being adapted?
Yes. Amazon Studios has picked up an adaptation of Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air, the fantasy series beginning with The Cruel Prince. Scott Free Productions and Holly Black are attached to the project.
Is The Cruel Prince adaptation a movie or TV series?
Amazon has not yet clearly confirmed the final format. Some reports describe it as a series, while reporting on the deal says the format has not yet been defined.
Who will play Jude and Cardan?
No cast members have been officially announced.
Is Holly Black involved?
Yes. Holly Black is attached as a producer.
Wasn’t The Cruel Prince already getting a movie?
Yes. Universal Pictures acquired the screen rights to The Cruel Prince in 2017, with Michael De Luca attached to produce, but that project never reached production.
When will The Cruel Prince adaptation come out?
Amazon has not announced a release date or production schedule.
No comments