If We Were Villains Adaptation: Everything We Know So Far About The Exciting New Series

Loved by the internet book community, the If We Were Villains adaptation is HIGHLY anticipated. Hopefully work goes quickly to get this series on our screens.
As we brace ourselves for the revelation of casting choices, directorial vision, and the adaptation’s fidelity to the original source, one thing is certain: the anticipation is palpable. The allure of “If We Were Villains” lies not only in its gripping narrative but also in its exploration of the enigmatic human soul, torn between good and evil, love and vengeance.
 
Don’t forget to check out the masterlist of all the EWKSF adaptation posts here on Alison in Libraryland!
 
This page was updated: 8/2/23
 

About The Book:

On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.
 
A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingénue, extras.
 
But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students’ world of make-believe. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.
 
bookshop.org // Amazon // Audiobook
 

Current Production Status:

This project is currently in the very early stages of development.
 

If We Were Villains Adaptation Timeline:

The book was first published in April 2017 and quickly became an internet favorite with comparisons to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.
In September 2022 author M.L. Rio announced that she had sold the option for work to begin on a series adaptation. She also warned that this was just the very beginning of a probably very long process.
 

Who Owns The Rights:

Blink49 Studios and Eleven Film (Sex Education) have partnered to option and produce the series. More producers and a distributer will be added as the project moves along.
 

Who Is Attached:

Because the project is still in early development there has been no casting news yet.
 

Filming Locations:

With the series still in early development there are currently no filming locations known.
 

Estimated Release:

Because this project is still in the very early stages of development there is no estimated release timeframe.
 

 

Previous mentions on AiLL:

This book has not been featured on Alison in Libraryland before.
 

Other Adaptations From This Author:

If We Were Villains is M.L. Rio’s only book currently released so there are no other works to be adapted yet.
 
Make sure you sign up for the The Adaptation Watch newsletter, sent out every Saturday morning with all of the latest news on any & all adaptations. Don’t worry about missing an update when it’s coming straight to your inbox!
 

Happy Reading!!
~Alison

If We Were Villains Adaptation: Everything We Know So Far About The Exciting New Series

 
Hi there! I’m Alison in Libraryland, and I’ll be here for all your book related needs. Many of you know me as the girl with the book recommendations. Don’t be shy! Ask me! If you’re looking for a good book or movie adaptation, let me help you find it. I’ll be here for all your literary needs. This is a book blog run on an obsession for shiny new books, worn-through old classics, and all attempts at moving those stories to the screen, just like this If We Were Villains adaptation.