Sally Rooney's fans have all been speculating about a television adaptation of her third book, Beautiful World, Where Are You. The expectations have grown after Normal People and Conversations with Friends were adapted into shows. However, Rooney has settled the speculation once and for all, saying that this book will not be adapted anytime soon.
In interviews with The New York Times and other media houses, Rooney said she had not yet considered offers for TV adaptations of the book, citing it was "time to take a break from that" and let the novel be its own thing in literature. It goes along with her feelings about the world of TV, which she says isn't one she feels like she's meant to be in.
Sally Rooney's ruminations come at a time when readers are trudging through her fourth novel, Intermezzo, and probably have their fingers crossed for another series. But it seems the author is happy to let readers use their imagination for now!
Here's why Sally Rooney isn’t adapting Beautiful World, Where Are You as a TV show
Sally Rooney has refused to develop her third novel for the screen because of what occurred with her previous works. In a September 2024 interview with The New York Times, she explained that after the media attention around Normal People, the discourse and public interest in the project began to overwhelm her.
“It was a really big job,” Rooney said, reflecting on the adaptation process of her hit novel.
Normal People, which also made the overnight sensations out of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Reminding everyone of the huge attention an adaptation brings, she said that the wide media coverage and audience reaction made her realize that actual home is in books.
“I felt like now I know that my books are where I belong, and that’s all that I want to be doing,” she said, quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Sally Rooney's second adaptation, Conversations with Friends, did not reach the heights of Normal People. Rooney was an executive producer but didn't come on board to write, as she was working on her third novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You, at the time.
Her reduced involvement may have contributed to the adaptation not being a big hit, further reinforcing Rooney's desire to focus on writing novels.
The future of Sally Rooney’s works in TV adaptations
While Beautiful World, Where Are You is not heading to TV anytime soon, Sally Rooney has not entirely ruled out the possibility of future adaptations.
“I just felt it was time to take a break from TV,” she told Deadline in a September 2024 interview.
These adaptations have arguably shifted the direction of her career, but for now, the author seems fairly comfortable relying on her literary roots.
On September 24, 2024, Rooney published the novel Intermezzo. It is yet another look into human emotions and connections, a story of two brothers moving through grief and complicated relationships.
Whether or not this new book, or even Beautiful World, Where Are You, will eventually be adapted, remains to be seen, but Sally Rooney is happy to let her writing speak for itself without the silver screen.
For now, fans of Sally Rooney will have to enjoy her work in its pure form. With her latest, Intermezzo, readers get to sample Rooney's penchant for working the knottiness of modern relationships yet again.
You can watch the previous adaptations of Sally Rooney’s novels, Normal People and Conversations with Friends, streaming on Hulu.
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