Brynne Weaver’s Butcher & Blackbird is the kind of book that sinks its claws into you and doesn’t let go—not because it’s overly dramatic, but because it’s so refreshingly weird, witty, and wildly romantic.
It’s one of the most popular dark romance books, and there are many reasons for that. Everyone who has read the book and the subsequent books has only good things to say about them. So, it was one of the best news when the Butcher & Blackbird movie was officially announced!
Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love trilogy, and its movie adaptation was announced at the beginning of 2025. In June this year, the author shared a shot of the movie’s script on her Instagram account, telling fans that things were moving smoothly behind the scenes.
With the upcoming film adaptation, fans are eager to see how Hollywood handles this genre-defying love story. Will they lean into the dark comedy more? And how exactly are they going to show all the spicy content of the book?
We’ll have to wait and see how the film adaptation turns out, how faithful it stays to the novel, and if the dark romance story about rival murderers will captivate the movie audience as it has captivated the book readers!
What Will Be The Plot of the Butcher & Blackbird Movie?
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a dark romantic suspense novel with a twist—it is also funny, emotional, and full of heart.
At its core, the story follows two main characters, Sloane and Rowan. They’re not your typical romantic leads—they’re both secret vigilante killers. Every year, they meet at a private dinner party for others like them, exchanging snarky banter and trying to one-up each other.
But everything changes when they are forced to work together on a project that requires them to stay together. As they spend more time together, their rivalry slowly turns into friendship, and then something deeper. What starts as enemies-to-lovers becomes a slow-burn romance filled with warmth, vulnerability, and unexpected tenderness.
If you haven’t read the book yet, here’s what the official synopsis is:
Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul.
From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.
Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?
Butcher & Blackbird Movie Release Date:
Currently, the Butcher & Blackbird movie is in production, meaning there is no current release date.
Given that it is still in the early stages of production, the release date will be well into the future, such as 2026 or 2027. Keep in mind that it could take longer than that, too.
There’s good news, though, because in June 2025, Brynne Weaver shared a shot of the movie’s script with her Instagram audience, which means that the script writing was done or was progressing smoothly.
So, it won’t be long before we have some solid updates about which production stage the movie adaptation is at!
What is the Cast and Crew of the Butcher & Blackbird Movie?
The movie is still in pre-production, so there is no casting of characters as of yet. Fancastings can be a fun way to help pass the time, so hop over on TikTok or whatever social media you like to use, and make some fancastings!
Ryder Picture Company is going to be producing the film. This involves Aaron Ryder, Andrew Swett, and Alexander Black.
Christ McKay, best known for The Lego Batman Movie, will be directing the movie with Laura Kosann adapting the novel for the screen.
Should You Read the Book Instead?
This is one of those subjective questions where there isn’t a right or wrong answer, but we’ll do our best to give you one!
You should read the book for several reasons. Butcher & Blackbird is rich with character depth, witty internal dialogue, and a slow-burn romance that works best on the page. If a movie were ever made, it might be enjoyable, but it would likely fail to capture the book’s nuance, humor, and emotion.
However, there is nothing wrong with both!
Go do both if you enjoy the story. Reading the book gives you the full experience: the detailed character development, the slow-burn romance, the sharp banter, and the emotional layers. Watching the movie (if or when it exists) can be a fun way to see it all come to life visually.
The Butcher & Blackbird movie isn’t going to be out for another year or two, so this gives you plenty of time to figure out whether you want to read the book or not. You don’t even need to read the whole series! Just start with Butcher and Blackbird, so you won’t be going in blind after the first book in the trilogy comes out.
Upcoming Book Adaptations: