A series adaptation of Melissa de la Cruz’s YA fantasy novel “The Ring & The Crown” is currently in development at Disney+. The project is written by veteran showrunner Gretchen J. Berg and her longtime writing partner Aaron Harberts, a team whose writing credits include CW’s “Reign” and ABC’s “Revenge.” Deadline broke the news.
Set in a magical Arthurian universe, Disney+’s adaptation follows Princess Marie-Victoria, an heir to the throne who is being arranged into a political marriage. Together, she and her bosom buddy Aelwyn Myrddn, the bastard daughter of Merlin forced into service of the crown, find ways to “secure political power, true love, and their futures,” the source teases.
Berg and Harberts described the project as a “romantic, action-packed, supernatural soap” with potential for “seasons and seasons of stories,” and praised the “rich universe” they’ve been tasked with bringing to life.
“‘The Ring and The Crown’ is one of my finest novels, it was inspired by my favorite book of all time, Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ as well as my favorite mythology of all time, the Arthurian legends,” de la Cruz revealed. “I cannot wait to see it brought to life by such a stellar team, studio and streaming service.”
Berg and Harbert are no strangers to Disney’s TV ecosystem. The two recently executive produced “Our Kind of People,” a 20th Television’s drama series for Fox, and worked as consultants for Disney Channel’s roller skating comedy series “Saturday.”
“The Ring & The Crown” series is not the first collaboration between Disney and Cruz, either, whose bestselling title “The Isle of the Lost” served as the prequel to the Disney Channel original “Descendants.”
