If you’re looking for a fantasy story that combines empire-scale politics, ancient magic, and a brutal system of class exploitation, but set in a world that’s both familiar and eerily alien, then the Hierarchy series by James Islington might just be your next obsession.
And now, this epic fantasy tale has caught Hollywood’s attention, with major adaptation rights recently secured for the big screen!
James Islington is an Australian fantasy author who has steadily built acclaim and readership. Born and raised in southern Victoria, Australia, he first made waves with his breakout series, The Shadow of What Was Lost, the first book in his popular The Licanius Trilogy.
With the launch of his new series, Hierarchy, the stakes have grown—and so has his production appeal.
One of the hallmarks of Islington’s writing is his ambitious world-building: sprawling magic systems, vast timelines, morally complex characters who wrestle with power and choice. His writing style leans into the epic, but he also anchors his stories with personal stakes, trauma, loyalty, and betrayal.
The Will of the Many, the first novel in the Hierarchy series, was published in May 2023 and introduced readers to the Republic of Caten, a society where the lower classes are forced to surrender their vitality to the elite to maintain power. By the time its sequel, The Strength of the Few, hit shelves in November 2025, the series had already become a buzz-worthy fantasy phenomenon.
As of late 2025, Sony Pictures has acquired the rights to adapt the Hierarchy series into a film, which is a strong indicator that the cinematic journey of Islington’s world is officially underway.
In the sections ahead, we’ll explore what we know so far about the adaptation: who’s producing it, how the plot might translate to screen, what to expect in terms of timing, and whether reading the book first will give you a richer experience.
What will be the Plot of the Hierarchy Movie Adaptation?
In the first book of the Hierarchy series, The Will of the Many, we are introduced to the Republic of Caten, which dominates the known world by engineering a system in which the lower classes must surrender their mental and physical energy—referred to as “Will”—to the elite classes above them.
Into this system steps Vis Telimus, an orphan from the lowest class, living secretly under an assumed identity and recruited into the prestigious Catenan Academy. There he must compete, learn, and uncover dark conspiracies at the heart of the regime.
As Vis ascends the ranks, he is forced to confront a web of secrets: forbidden pasts, hidden revolts, and the deep moral cost of the social architecture around him.
The adaptation has the chance to bring the clash of classroom pressures, elite privilege, and secret rebellion to life—not just as a fantasy spectacle, but as a story about who holds power and who pays for it.
On screen, this means layered relationships, tense academia settings, vast assaults on the system, and personal stakes that mirror the metaphysical threat of the series. The film’s format, the hierarchy of classes, the academy’s rituals, and the latent magic system will transition well into cinematic visuals.
If you haven’t yet read this fantasy epic, do so right now. Here’s the official synopsis of “The Will of the Many” to help you know what to expect from the book and the upcoming movie adaptation:
The Catenan Republic – the Hierarchy – may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.
I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus – what they call Will – to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.
But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.
And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.
To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.
And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.
Casting & Production Updates:
Production news broke with announcements that Sony Pictures has acquired the film rights to the Hierarchy series, marking a significant milestone for James Islington’s franchise.
The deal places the series firmly on Hollywood’s radar as an epic fantasy property with commercial potential.
At present, no director, screenwriter, or cast members have been publicly confirmed. The project is still in early development, meaning key steps such as scriptwriting, filmmaker attachments, and production planning are still unfolding behind the scenes.
The Will of the Many Movie Release Date:
No official release date has been announced for the adaptation of the Hierarchy series. Given that rights were recently acquired and scriptwriting development is presumably underway, a conservative estimate places the film’s release in 2027 or later, depending on production scale and global rollout.
But that’s just a speculation as the movie’s development is currently in very early stages, so the release date could be much farther away than we think.
Should You Read the Book Instead?
Yes, you should absolutely read the book!
If you’ve been waiting for a fantasy series that marries grand world-building with personal drama, the Hierarchy series is a prime choice. Reading the books before the film adaptation gives you access to the full cast of characters, internal motivations, and the architectural detail of the Catenan world.
When you go into the adaptation with the book fresh in mind, you’ll be able to notice which elements the filmmakers preserve, which they adjust, and how the tone translates from epic fantasy page to screen. For a story preoccupied with power, secrets, and transformation, reading first often deepens your connection.
In short: read the book. Then get ready to see the realm come to life, and you’ll carry with you an appreciation of what the adaptation keeps, changes, and why the story matters.
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