Upcoming Dark Romance Adaptations: 5 Books Becoming TV Shows & Movies
•November 7, 2026, 1:00 pm
Though our screens are about to be dominated by sports romance and romantasy adaptations — not to mention all the standard contemporary ones — dark romance book-to-screen projects are slowly cropping up. It should come as no surprise to the BookTok community, who have made books of the more scandalous variety skyrocket in popularity over the last few years.
When we say scandalous, we mean it. We’re talking things like stalking, murder, violent scenes that are just as graphic as the steamy ones. Some decisions the characters make aren’t morally grey, but pitch black. Pretty much anything goes, but there’s also a romance at its core. The subgenre is a complicated one to bring to the screen, to say the least.
Nevertheless, they’re on the way. Swooon is breaking down all the latest updates on the dark romance book adaptations becoming TV shows and movies so far.
Butcher and Blackbird
Dominik Bindl / / Greg Doherty / for Wynn Las Vegas
Cast:Emma Laird and Thomas Doherty
Butcher & Blackbird will likely be the first dark romance adaptation to arrive. Based on Brynne Weaver’s book of the same name, the Prime Video movie found its leading actors, who will play serial killers (and eventual lovers) Sloane and Rowan, in October 2026.
The movie will follow the first book of Weaver’s Ruinous Love trilogy, which sees Sloane and Rowan, who both target evil people, embark on a yearly competition to find an anonymous killer before the other. The movie is being directed The Lego Batman Movie‘s Chris McKay.
Haunting Adeline
In October 2026, Carlton confirmed that the production has found its Adeline and Zade, but they have yet to be revealed. There’s no streaming service attached or distribution plan known publicly.
Lights Out
Allen shared in a July 2026 Instagram video that she’d read the screenplay. The show will follow trauma nurse Aly, who fantasizes about the masked men she follows online. She doesn’t know that one of them is her ex’s roommate, vigilante hacker Josh. When he catches wind of her interest, he starts stalking Aly, wearing a mask during their encounters.
Five Brothers
Penelope Douglas dark NSFW books are big on TikTok, and one of them could be coming to TV. Five Brothers as been optioned for multiple seasons by Crave, the company behind Heated Rivalry.It was announced in May 2026.
The story follows 18-year-old Krisjen Conroy, who hails from a wealthy family who’s neglected her and pressured her to marry an older man. On the poor side of her Florida town are the five Jaeger brothers, ranging from 31-year-oldMacon to 20-year-old Trace. One night, Krisjen takes refuge on the Jaegers’couch, and she sleeps with someone who approaches her from behind, never seeing his face. Krisjen proceeds to hook up with the brothers to figure out who it was.
Mindf*ck
A Guide to All Upcoming Romantasy TV Show & Movie Adaptations
Mindf*ck,the five-book psychological thriller-romance by late author S.T. Abby, has been picked up by Amazon MGM Studios for a TV series. At the helm is producer Sophia Stallone with the backing of Balboa Productions. Deadline broke the news of the project in June 2025, adding then that a showrunner hadn’t been found yet.
The book follows Lana, a vigilante killing the men who assaulted her and destroyed her family, and Logan, the FBI agent trying to solve the murders. They fall in love, while Lana keeps her killing a secret from Logan.
