Assistant to the Villain, one of the best and most unique romantasy books, is officially set to become a TV series!
Written by Hannah Nicole Maehrer and published on August 29, 2023, the book is the first in a series. On December 23, it was announced that the rights had been purchased to develop the first book into a TV show.
Assistant to the Villain is a great entry into the romantasy category with its dark and dry humor. It plays on the ‘grumpy x sunshine’ trope, where a broody and moody person gets involved with someone cheerful and optimistic. It’s a slow-burn romance that will have you on the edge of your seat!
The novel focuses on Evie Sage, a woman who ends up working as an assistant to the town’s most infamous man, the Villain. It brings plenty of romantic tension and laugh-out-loud moments!
Fans were thrilled when a series was announced, but not surprised. Assistant to the Villain debuted at number 2 on the New York Times Best Sellers list for Fiction, coming up behind Fourth Wing. Translation rights have been sold in more than a dozen territories, making this book a global success.
The book was followed by Apprentice to the Villain, published in August 2024, which also earned highly positive reviews. The third book in the series, Accomplice to the Villain, was released just a few days ago, in August 2025!
So, if the first season of the TV adaptation does well, there’s plenty more material to keep going to do more seasons!
What is the Plot of the Assistant to the Villain TV Series?
Assistant to the Villain tells the story of Evie Sage, a woman who is desperate for work. Her family is ailing, and she needs a job, so when she gets a job offer from The Villain, the town’s most infamous man, she accepts. It might not be the most typical job, but she needs the money, and there are not many jobs to go around.
The job ends up being more than bargained for because she is employed by the Villain, so she has to come to terms with severed heads, huge animals in the dungeon, and all sorts of things, living and not living, around the mansion. She could deal with all of that if she didn’t start to develop a crush on The Villain.
Things get more complicated when someone decides they want to take the Villain and his empire out, forcing Evie to figure out who is behind the sabotage.
Here’s what the official synopsis of the Assistant to the Villain book says:
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.
With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.
But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a giant rat, and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.
Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work and ensure he makes them pay.
After all, a good job is hard to find.
Assistant to the Villain TV Series Release Date:
In an article published on December 8, 2023, by Matt Grobar on Deadline, it was announced that Assistant to the Villain was going to be turned into a TV series.
It’s still too early, as there haven’t been any updates regarding its current status. So, it’s safe to assume that the TV series is still in pre-production. This means there is no release date, and it will likely remain that way for some time.
Keep an eye on Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s socials to get up-to-date news about the status of the series.
Who is the Cast & Crew of the Assistant to the Villain TV Series?
The series is in pre-production, so the cast hasn’t been announced yet, but as soon as the cast is announced, we will update this article accordingly.
There is no update on the adaptation’s script either. So, the first thing that will need to be finished is the script, and then the makers can move on to casting for the roles!
Who is Developing the Assistant to the Villain Adaptation?
After a tough bidding war, Legendary Entertainment won the rights to the Assistant to the Villain adaptation.
This media and film company is based in Burbank, California, and was founded by Thomas Tull. It’s been involved in the creation of other romantasy series such as Carnival Row, which aired on Amazon Prime Video.
Hannah Nicole Maehrer, the author herself, is set to be an executive producer on the series with Liz Pelletier and Sharon Hall also acting as executive producers.
Should You Read The Book Instead?
Most of you who are reading this article are likely fans of the book and have already read it, maybe even more than once. But if you haven’t, that’s all right too!
The TV series, as we mentioned, is still in preproduction, with the cast not even announced yet, so you have plenty of time to pick up a copy and dive into this quirky romantasy series.
Described as a blend of the Office and The Princess Bride, Maehrer combines two pieces of media that couldn’t be more different but work so well together! It’s no wonder the novels got so popular and an Assistant to the Villain TV series is officially happening!
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