Great Island verwerft optie op Clíodhna O’Sullivan’s bestsellende romantasy ‘Her Hidden Fire’ voor young adult-serie

Productiebedrijf uit Cork richt zich op driedelige adaptatie van Amazon Editors’ keuze en internationale bestseller

Cork-based production company Great Island has secured the rights to Clíodhna O’Sullivan’s debut novel Her Hidden Fire for a young adult series adaptation.

The eight-part drama centers on Éadha, a servant who survives by staying invisible in a rigidly divided society where magic draws power from enslaved individuals known as Fodder. She conceals her own internal magic until she transfers some of it to Ionáin, the final heir of his lineage and the young man she loves. That act ties her fate to an academy built on exploitation, where her abilities soon threaten the entire system and everyone within it.

Novel Achieves Strong Commercial and Critical Success

Her Hidden Fire marked O’Sullivan’s first romantasy release and quickly gained traction. It earned recognition as an Amazon Editors’ Best Book of 2026, received a Good Morning America literary pick, and reached bestseller lists in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The second volume is scheduled for November 2026 through Penguin Random House Children’s in the UK and Ireland and Viking in the United States, with the third installment set for July 2027.

Great Island Eyes Three-Season Franchise

The company plans to expand the project across the full trilogy as a three-season series. The first season will introduce the world and follow Éadha’s personal arc, while later seasons will broaden the scope as the story progresses through the subsequent books. Development is underway, and Great Island is actively exploring partnerships with creative teams, producers, distributors, and studios.

Mark Kenny Highlights International Potential

CEO Mark Kenny emphasized the company’s focus on distinctive stories with global appeal. “We’re always looking for distinctive IP and original voices that have the potential to connect with audiences beyond Ireland, and Her Hidden Fire has exactly that,” he said. Kenny praised O’Sullivan’s character-driven narrative and high emotional stakes, noting the strong reader response as evidence of the project’s strength.

Bringing the series into our slate is an exciting step as we expand our scripted offering with YA. There’s no better time for this as we continue to develop projects with international potential and look for partner production, distribution and studio companies to build them with.

— Mark Kenny, CEO, Great Island, Statement on the option deal

Author Expresses Excitement for Screen Vision

O’Sullivan welcomed the partnership and the prospect of seeing her story adapted. “People tell you to write the story you want to read, but if I’m honest, I wrote the story I dream of watching,” she said. She expressed confidence that Great Island shares her vision and possesses the talent to realize it.

I feel so lucky knowing Great Island has the same vision, and that it’s paired with the talent and the drive to make it a reality. I genuinely cannot wait to see how they bring Her Hidden Fire to life.

— Clíodhna O’Sullivan, Author, Statement on the option deal

Great Island specializes in Irish stories with international reach. Its previous projects include the Richie O’Connell dramedy series Headcase and Joshua Kenny’s People Do Bad Things, both backed by Screen Ireland funding. The deal for Her Hidden Fire was arranged by Marc Simonsson of International Creative Agency.