The long-awaited Butcher & Blackbird movie adaptation has officially found its leading actors, and fans of Brynne Weaver’s dark romance series finally have a casting announcement to talk about.
On Oct. 22, Deadline reported that Emma Laird and Thomas Doherty will star in the upcoming adaptation, which Amazon MGM Studios has acquired for worldwide release on Prime Video. Laird will play Sloane Sutherland, also known as the Blackbird, while Doherty will take on the role of Rowan Kane, aka the Boston Butcher.
For anyone who hasn’t read Butcher & Blackbird yet, the story follows two competing serial killers who target other serial killers. As they attempt to outdo one another, their rivalry develops into an unexpected romance. You know, a perfectly normal love story.
Published in October 2023, the novel became a bestseller and a BookTok sensation. It is the first installment in Weaver’s Ruinous Love trilogy, followed by Leather & Lark and Scythe & Sparrow.
Naturally, readers have opinions about who will bring these beloved characters to life. Casting announcements for popular book adaptations can be exciting, but they also invite plenty of discussion as fans compare the actors with the versions of the characters they’ve imagined while reading.
Thomas Doherty may already be familiar to viewers from projects like Gossip Girl and Tell Me Lies, while Emma Laird has appeared in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and the BBC series Mint. Now, they’ll have the challenge of bringing Weaver’s particularly dark, chaotic romance to the screen.
Naturally, BookTok wasted no time weighing in on the casting news. After imagining Sloane and Rowan in their heads since the book first went viral, fans are sharing their thoughts on whether Emma Laird and Thomas Doherty are the perfect picks for the beloved (and slightly unhinged) couple.
The reactions highlight one of the biggest challenges of adapting a BookTok favorite: readers have already spent hours imagining what these characters look and sound like. While some fans are excited to see the actors bring the story to life, others are still adjusting to a casting choice that looks different from the versions they pictured while reading. And with a romance as dark and unconventional as Butcher & Blackbird, fans will be watching closely to see how the chemistry translates to the screen.
The casting announcement is only the beginning, and there are still plenty of details readers are waiting to learn. Chris McKay, known for directing The Lego Batman Movie and Renfield, is set to direct the film. Laura Kosann wrote the screenplay, with Ari Berkowitz and Ava Tramer contributing revisions.
For now, the movie does not have an announced release date. But with its leading duo officially cast, fans can start imagining how Sloane and Rowan’s twisted love story might look on screen.
Until then, BookTok will be waiting. And maybe rereading Butcher & Blackbird in the meantime.