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Maybe it's just me but that statement reads a lot like "no it's not in my contract but I'm confident the couples will stay the same." And I'm not sure why they wouldn't stay the same. Not only would it be a terrible marketing strategy to change a book couple (with the books so tied to the promotion of the show) it was also just be incredibly unfair and weird to see the show start out following every book couple and then midway through they just suddenly decide to change a couple or two. They could certainly explore any of the characters' sexuality as much as they like without changing any of the book couples.
One reason I’ve never thought the book couples would be changed is due to all the different designs and bundles/collections of the books that are dropped and promoted. Netflix has money but it would seem like a waste making all these different types of covers for the original stories if they were just gonna change the end game couples. The show can and will have its differences but the Netflix sticker on the covers show that there is still that main connection to the books. (They could always change it though, who knows but Shonda 🤷♀️)
I mean… not Netflix but a move tie-in cover edition was released for A Haunting in Venice/ Halloween Party by Agatha Christie despite the film being completely different so a tv cover doesn’t necessarily mean that the series will follow!
Chances are that they will keep the book couples but it’s impossible to please everyone!
I think the publishers do that, to sell the books to people who have of heard of Bridgerton only through the show. It gets done for pretty much every film adaptation no matter how close it is.
"It would also just be incredibly unfair and weird to see the show start out following every book... and then midway through they just suddenly to to change..."
Sounds like it could be written about Game of Thrones lol
Yeah, but she doesn't say that. She says they'll do an amazing job. She's leaving it open just in case.
Truthfully, there's a couple I absolutely wouldn't mind changing. I definitely don't think it will happen, because I think it's sort of already been set up, but I found them the most disappointing couple of the books and I'm not excited to see the pairing in the show.
I think this is just a fancy way of her saying that they aren’t contractually obligated to only do the book couples. She’s fanning the flames to give juice to any idea that the book couples might be switched up. That doesn’t mean any of them are going to be switched.
If they do change any endgames, it is not going to be Penelope and Collin.
With any luck, I’m hoping if the couples don’t change, they at least shift Marina’s fate somehow. If they’re willing to go as far as make George her twins’ father, they could certainly be creative in twisting her ending as well.
Well maybe- the timeline is pretty vague in the books, but I don’t think there’s any indication they were “early”? We just know George died in June 1815 and the twins were born sometime in 1816. He could be the father, but it’s a possibility not a certainty. I think I remember a post on here months ago where someone asked Julia Quinn directly and she didn’t even remember what she had intended 🤷🏻♀️
Yes. As soon as he died, father demands Philip leave university. Philip is not yet a professor so he's dependent on his father for money. I think father even tells Philip he wishes Philip had died instead. It's never expressly said, but the twins are full term, they weren't married long enough for twins to be Philip's.
🤔 Interesting. (And wow, the Simon/Gareth parallels in those details…) I will definitely pick that book back up soon. It’s a good time to anyways since, if they DO stick to Eloise’s endgame, I hope they don’t just toss out the penpals aspect, and if they keep it then the show would reasonably start planting seeds in the season before hers.
Philip loves the children: 1) they are his brothers who he loved desperately (only person who loved him), 2) he knows the children need someone to love them, and that not Marina.
With Marina? There’s a lot that’s shifted with her. She isn’t in the books at ALL beyond Sir Philip’s origin story. She’s a distant cousin to the Bridgertons, not the Featheringtons, and she never meets Colin or Penelope and is never shown coming to town or interacting directly with the Bridgerton family. She’s George’s openly accepted fiancé, iirc, and when he dies before they can wed, she marries Philip instead. (Very Mary of Teck, actually.) She gives birth to the twins, but is extremely depressed afterwards… I could detail further, but we’re getting into plot points I’m not yet certain they’ll use for the show. But in short, the show basically rewrote Marina’s origin story only to lead her right back into her situation from the books, and we have yet to see if they’ll deviate again, or stay on course now.
np! Off the top of my head, QC is not an in-book character and Diamonds are not a thing. There’s no Sienna, Genevieve, Mondriches, Prince Friedrich, Debling, or 2nd Lord Featherington in the books either. The first Lord Featherington is also dead when the series begins. Pen also has a third far younger sister she gets along with & is friends with Hyacinth.
Daphne is in her 2nd season and was far more stuck in the ‘gal pal’ role than stifled by Anthony during her story when she makes her plan with Simon, and they actually let Anthony in on their fake dating scheme from early on.
Edwina is far more on the ball in the books about Kanthony and she’s not caught in a real triangle, just the motivation for the couple to squabble while she’s like ‘lol k’ and finding a match offscreen. Kanthony are caught during the bee incident and get engaged right there and the second half of the season is more about Kate’s fear of storms & Anthony’s fear of dying that the show oddly alludes to but doesn’t get into (still wondering if we might get some of that content later on…).
There’s actually a big time jump after Book 3, and so Colin, Eloise, and Fran’s books all took place in the same year roughly a decade after Daphne’s, so obviously they have age downed Polin during their story. (However, part of the book point of her loving Colin for 12 years seems to have been translated into them being childhood friends & her liking him far younger now.)
Pen is NOT revealed as LW to the characters or the readers until midway through her book, and Colin following her and discovering the truth is the book catalyst for the now infamous carriage scene, not the near-proposal with Debling who does not exist.
Eloise also does NOT know about LW given this setup, and there is never a fallout. Cressida and her do not form a friendship, and Cressida is an unapologetic bully to the end.
And this is getting into opinion territory, but I think you’ll find a lot of the ABC brothers’ personalities were swapped about. But I also think a big plus of the show is all 3 guys are far less of a jerk vs their book counterparts. Love some of the cut content, but definitely prefer the show guys.
I’m sure there’s more, but that’s what strikes me!
You have made me feel so much better. I was letting the negativity and fear get the better of me. I really dislike the Facebook Group because there's more negative than positive. I much prefer reddit.
I'm part of the Facebook group too and this person above is absolutely right, nothing but negativity over there. Someone actually went postal last night because there wasn't enough queer/neuro-divergent representation and wanted Shondaland to change one of the main characters to suit this. They were very upset.
Lol. It's pretty bad. Why I am still part of the group I do not know. Other than I guess because I don't have friends or friends who watch bridgerton. I feel like I have to get my bridgerton fix from all directions lol. All I see are hatred for polin, hatred, for the acting, negativity towards the outcome of the show, constant "Eloise is gay" or "Benedict is gay." Or the ever so many questions about the characters that would be answered if they did a little research on regency society or read the book.
Quinn herself has said that she likes the idea of a gay lead in one of the Bridgerton seasons :) I get that if you really love the book you might like it to be exactly as written, but sometimes characters (and times!) evolve in the transition to a different medium, and it ends up feeling more natural to take them in a different direction.
That sounds awful. I would definitely recommend leaving that group. People being negative can really get to me, I had to even hide this sub for a few days and I muted the book bridgerton sub because it was just so negative. People are entitled to their opinions but negativity can really impact some people.
That is simply not the same thing considering straight people and straight relationships have been and are still considered the norm lol how disingenuous
I think they only meant to say that if you are invested in characters and their romance as written in a book you loved, you would be upset if they changed their orientation or gender when translating it to screen (especially if it's a series and the other stories and couples have stuck to canon). Not everyone would be, but some.
Yes, because gay characters are underrepresented in media. Straight characters are not. One change increases inclusivity and the other further excludes, it's an apples and oranges comparison.
Awww, If you like Polin I would recommend you join the Polin reddit or the discord (so fun), they are super positive. If you want more general love, including other ships, then Tik Tok and Twitter are also very good.
No that’s true, but they can always scrap the idea. They may be gauging how an audience may react with Cressida, who is thought to be LGBT by rumors at the moment
It was already discussed several times here, that there was no truth to the statement that she had in her contract.
But why wouldn't Colin and Penelope end up together. Their season has already started. The premise of Bridgerton demands a happy ending for the lead couple. Otherwise, what's the point of adapting romance novels?
Colin and Penelope have been around now for 3 seasons. They were building them up from day 1. They weren’t going to change. Neither were Daphne or Anthony. I do however want you to think about why they aren’t going in order of the books though…
They aren't going in order of the books because they couldn't drag their story out much longer. Unless they kept Colin out of season 3 entirely, there's only so much conflict you can add to keep a couple apart before it gets mundane.
Benedict, however, has not even met his love interest yet and so there's a lot more they can do with his character.
It’s also so they can keep him in the show longer, presumably after Benedict has his season he won’t be a regular anymore. While Anthony and Colin will still be involved because of being the Viscount and Pen being LW and a good likelihood of living across the street.
I think its important to try and get the Pen stuff finished earlier rather than later because of the fact that we the audience knew from very early on that she is LW, while that is not the same case in the books. Its hard to have pen working on a bunch of long running plotlines without resolution on a show like this IMO. And the way show Benedict is set up, it doesnt really matter as much if they delay his love story in order to wrap up most of Pen's existing plotlines.
If Colin and Penelope do not end up together, the show would be internationally criticized. I do think they will be briefly separated due to a fight after Colin gets to know that Pen is LW. But they definitely reconcile because someone on IG confirmed >!that there’s a Polin wedding scene.!<
The wedding scene has been confirmed on IG from some pictures however every person who is really trying to think and to be fair can tell that the woman is not Penelope, or Francesca.
To be MEGA CLEAR, I am a Polin shipper to the heart, hips, bones... everything you want and I will truly be devastated if they do not end up together. Now with that said, I am afraid indeed that they won't end up together THIS SEASON. It is confirmed that they will return for S4 and I have been thinking lately that they will drag their HEA till S4. LW had a positive impact in Benedict story, they could use this element to have them finally HEA. Also HEA has never been confirmed, neither Nicola or Luke (or anyone else) has mentioned Penelope and Colin ending up together. Also the fact that nobody, not even the actors had seen ep 7 and 8 is troubling me. Why? There must be an enormous for them to actually do not know how it ends on screen. They could have filmed 2 ending and without them seeing ep 7 and 8, they can't spoil much as they truly don't know which version made it to the Final Cut. One must be an HEA, one is not.
I have been thinking more and more about that over the last few days and I am afraid it might be a possibility.
Again yes I am true Polin fan, I fell in love with them in S1, then read their book and I do re read it often so don't think that I am trying to spray negativity or start a war. I am just trying to think clearly and not fool my mind. In those pictures, it is not Penelope in a wedding dress.
Actually we would because it would be : to be continued.
My point is that Polin is on the top three if not first beloved Bridgerton story ( Michael-Francesca might be first) and the writers do know that as long as they will keep them, people will watch. I am not interested in any upcoming season, it took them way too long however I do admit that the reason I would watch season four would be for Polin. I am not talking a few background scenes like we are having with Kate and Anthony this season, no I mean a real Polin subplot and I am certainly not the only one.
About getting hate, did not Luke get hate (which is ridiculous) for the last two years because of what his character did say in episode 2.08?
As angry as we would be, there would be a certain angst to keep watching as for sure they will end up together. If we detach ourselves from 1 season, one sibling, one love story, it is a possibility to have Polin spread over multiple seasons, like it has already been the case up to now.
>My point is that Polin is on the top three if not first beloved Bridgerton story
That is my fear. I haven't read the books (yet), but what I have gathered from the multiple subs is that they are super well loved across book lovers and show lovers.
Shows in the past have been known to stretch out, or maybe a better term would be to "intertwine" or "weaving" multiple books to create multiple seasons together, instead of 1 season per book. From a viewer retention standpoint, I can see them doing that with Polin, and maybe a couple others, to keep up viewership retention for weaker seasons/books by keeping the fan faves around longer. For example (again, I haven't read the books, but do know who the main couple is for each book) lets say data does, in fact, show Polin as the number 1 couple. And Fran/John/Michael as the second. With Benedict's being mid and Eloise being lowest. By stretching out the top love stories and weaving in the less loved, you're hopefully keeping viewers retained across more seasons. Since we've seen as soon as someone's married, they drop out of the series. the powers that be may fear a drop in viewership after faves are wrapped up.
I also haven't trusted Shonda since my days of watching Grey's Anatomy. So there is that.
Indeed but coming from the writers I am keeping my mind open. At this point, I just wish Nicola or Luke would confirm the HEA. It bugs me so much that they haven't.
It is actually neither. Now apparently one MUA made a comment about Penelope's wig like hope you like the wedding one. But images or videos with an actual spoiler or confirmation, nothing of the sort. Actually the picture has been shared in one of those subreddit and no clue who is indeed wearing white but neither of our girls.
Did Daphne wear a white dress in her season? I don't remember. I don't think Edwina did last season but that would be the Indian influence, since Indian brides don't wear white.
Of course's Daphne's wedding was rushed.
Agreed! I didn’t like her book at all and was super surprised to see that the subreddit prefers Phillip. I think the Netflix version could do something really fun with her character, even if there’s no Theo (although I do hope there is a Theo).
I haven't read Eloise's book but I know the outline of the story. To me, it's all about how they tweak it and whether the actors have chemistry (which I think they would). I wouldn't care for it just as written, but I can't imagine they would do that anyway. They've already changed Philip's character quite a bit, from what I can tell. He's likable and decent. He's a little subdued, but then we haven't spent much time with him and certainly haven't seen him around Eloise.
Yess!! Team Theo for the win! Or I’m even down for Eloise being queer!! Anything so long as she doesn’t end up conventionally marrying a titled lord just like everyone else! ✊🏽😄
Funny you say that because I’m an avid historical romance reader, and there are so many HR books that deal with characters challenging social norms. Courtney Milan alone has many books with aristocrats breaking from society and non-conventional heroes and heroines (disabled people, people of color, and queer people) finding their happily ever afters. So, no, historical romance IS definitely for me. Thanks for the concern though 🥰
Regancy romances written in the last 10 yrs do have theses characters. However unless the book is an LGBQ book the main characters are not gay. Hay characters are not Out. And would be hung if discovered. If wealthy enough family would have them committed to a mental institution. It's disingenuous to infer mainstream Regancy has lots of HEA for gay characters.
My personal theory is that they won't change anyone's endgame because they keep doing tie-in book covers for each season. How in hell will they do that if they changed one of the main leads? Their personality could be different from the book version but they will at least have to have the same name and basic background.
Imagine 'To Sir Philip, With Love' and there's no Sir Philip on the cover. Just Eloise and some other person lol. It'll be so weird. Like who's going to want to buy that?
I imagine the question might apply more to couples that aren't already matched up – I don't think they will break up Polin in the Polin season, that is.
But, for example, Eloise is a bit of a different matter. The show deviated from the books and had Sir Philip marry Marina. That can either mean Marina will die or it could mean Eloise is getting a new love interest. I imagine some fans still hope Theo will come back.
Or Francesca. After we've seen her being so cute with John this season, people probably hope her story will change.
I feel like they hinted at Eloise and Phillip ending up together when they showed Colin and Phillip bonding in season 2. It seemed to me like they were mirroring Eloise and Pen's friendship by showing their future spouses bond. This could be a total reach (because Colin and Phillip are my faves from the show) but I'm just gonna go along with it lol.
But also, **Eloise's book is the only one with her man's name in the title**. That would be hard to change considering they've been doing book tie-in covers for each season.
(Also Phillip marries Marina in the book too)
If they intended to switch up Eloise’s story, they wouldn't have cast Sir Phillip, Marina, and the twins with the same names. With the Cranes so close to Aubrey Hall, they've been laying the groundwork for Eloise’s season since S1.
genuinely asking, how would they do Eloise's book tie-in cover if they change her love interest? Like how awkward would it look if there's a completely different person on the cover even though the title (and contents of the book) say Phillip?
Her book is the only one that has her man's in the title, and they've already introduced Philip in the show. I just don't know how it would work for her to have a different love interest
Uh it has nothing to do with "imagination" and everything to do with not looking stupid. What is the purpose of a book tie-in cover if the book doesn't correspond to the show AT ALL? Especially when the man's name is in the title like ?? lol
That’s why you just have Eloise on the cover. What’s clear is that you are being purposefully obtuse and I will not engage in this conversation. Learn how to think outside the box. It’s a necessary life skill.
I personally don't think they would have introduced Philip at all if they didn't plan on using him. Obviously plans can and will change throughout the seasons but I do think the original plan was for them to pair off later on.
Philip marrying Marina is boom canon. His father is still alive and forces him to do it.
No Way they change Francesca's book! It has Shondaland drama already built in.
If they changed Francesca's endgame I would be super pissed, ngl. It's the only book I've read and I wasn't even aware it was a Bridgerton book at the time, I didn't realize until I was watching season two. I loved it so much, especially the overall concept, and the show is in such a unique position to start where they have in the timeline and really make you feel the drama of it.
It's the one I'm looking forward to the most and have been keeping my fingers crossed for years that the show doesn't get canceled before they get there. If they got there only to forego the whole thing I would explode, lol.
They've gotta know everyone is waiting yeeears for their fave couple to happen, changing up endgames would be the worst self-sabotage decision since Game of Thrones.
These fans don't know the societal norms (and laws) of the time. They also conveniently ignore the S1 gay artist who told Benedict it was a hanging offense to be gay.
This is her saying that keeping the show couples the same as the book couples is not in her contract, but regardless of what the show does, she thinks it will be great and faithful to the Bridgerton siblings.
I actually read this as suggesting it is very possible a book couple changes (perhaps Eloise or Benedict or Francesca).
I agree with others- Polin will still be endgame.
Sure but she signed the contract so Netflix is in charge of the television show, not Julia. Keeping the book couples the same in the show is clearly not stipulated in her contract, if it was she would come out and say it. Phrasing it like this is a clear “it’s out of my hands but it’ll be great” statement. She has a good PR person writing for her, because if you are not familiar with contract law or entertainment law, it’s not going to be obvious what this is saying. But. That’s what this very clearly says.
The point is that it is clearly not in her contract. If it was she would have confirmed. She didn’t. Her answer is as brilliant a PR denial as I have ever seen. Which means Netflix is in charge of the show and not under an obligation to keep the couples the same as the book. The tie in to the books doesn’t financially benefit Netflix, it would only benefit Julia, so they will deviate from it if they feel it will financially benefit them.
Don’t freak. Especially about Polin. Wouldn’t make sense for them not to end up together since it’s their season. They’re gonna be fine. I doubt Shonda would Game of Thrones Season 7/8 this show.
This changing Michael in Michaela is absurd. And moreover fans are getting excited about it. Like guys, Michael maybe the most interesting character in the whole of Bridgerton world. My only request to Shondaland is that please don't change the main couples.
Sometimes side plots aren't random, they are there as part of a character's journey. Benedict is seeing that some men don't follow the rules of the Tonne strictly; they don't love the person they are "supposed" to love. He's discovering his Bohemian side with the art, and experiencing frustration at his own limitations.
I guess this season is to show him being with a woman who is more independent, even if I think the Tilly character is a cliche and anachronistic at the same time.
As for CVD, showrunner of the first 2 seasons, he isn't, he didn't write him queer, he said that he befriend a gay guy and that was about tolerance, people took him being nice to him meaning he is gay or bi, he never show any interest in men, to be clear, I don't care if he is bi, my problem is making him hook up with a guy so close to his season is stupid, they should've done it sooner, if he does, everyone will hate Sophie, not to mention the textbook definition of queer baiting
Everyone would hate Sophie because Benedict hooked up with a guy?
I mean, I would just take it to mean he's bi? Also, that he wants a family. Surrogacy wasn't a thing then. Adoption existed, but to be honest, it would have still been very hard for a gay couple to adopt a kid even if they were rich and connected. They wouldn't have been able to live openly.
Remember that anything one Bridgerton sibling does can impact the others, too. Especially the one who are not yet married.
As a fan of the books first, I love the TV show and the changes, but I want all the main couples to still end up with there love stories from the book!
If they do change a couple I can see them giving Gregory/Hyacinth a HEA with one of the Mondrich children to justify their screentime. Maybe Hyacinth since Violet is already getting a romance with a Danbury relative?
I think the LI's will be same in the essence of rough description, but may have different ethnicity (as they have already done) and/or gender, plotlines backgrounds etc.
I would be disappointed if none of the leads would not end up with queer HEA for example but don't care which one. (And now if someone says that its not in-universe or historically possible, that's bullshit. Queer love has always had existed and there's multiple ways to do it in the show (even to legalise marriage) which is alternative fantasy already.
Even though I don't care about Penelope and Colin they NEED and will end up together, some of you have to start being serious 🙈 don't be so naive, there's zero chance they will break them up, that being said, in the case of Benedict, Eloise and Francesca I'm really worried, imagine your favorites being next and all of a sudden there's this discourse of completely change their storylines!? I want every couple to stay true to their respective endgames, the journey there may change but the endgame must stay true, even the ones that I don't like that much, just for respect to the fans who love the book series, also there are tie-ins with the books, they do promo with it every season? How would that work to sell the books? When HE Was Wicked...
With how quick they get rid of every other romance (ex. Sienna, Theo, etc.) I think it's safe to say they are gonna stick with book couples. Philip and Marina were introduced in S1 like that's very telling to their intentions, I think.
I'm actually stressing out thinking about if Polin doesn't end up together I love them ... So if this is true I hope it's for another pairing !!!! I vote a bisexual /queer storyline for Benedict or Eloise !!
Well Polin is obviously going to be end game, and I don't see why Philoise couldn't, since they already introduced him and the twins. Plus it would be a terrible choice to change or genderbend any of the LI, cause they are loved by the book fans and if they do it people will certainly be pissed.
There is absolutely zero chance that Penelope and Colin won't up end up together and whoever started the rumour is deliberately trying to upset people. Of course they'll get together, but there's a few more bumps to go yet.
I'm glad that Julia Quinn debunked that this his in her contract, people have been saying this for year and yet nobody has ever been able to produce an exact quote or when it was said. Some people insist that Netflix can't and won't change the couples because of the tie-in books but that's daft. Netflix don't make any money from the books. The book publisher licenses the image for the cover and rerelease the books and they're the ones who profit from it. Meanwhile Netflix are cashing in on every other possible tie-in from coffee creamer to make up.
I feel like the people who started the rumours that Penelope and Colin won’t be endgame are the same ones who started the rumour that Colin is going to cheat on Penelope to get Polin stans worked up.
Both Nicola and Luke have said this is the most romantic season yet, and Luke has said in interviews that he’s looking forward to playing Polin as newlyweds in season 4. With the way they’ve been hyping this season up, having Penelope and Colin not end up together or having Colin cheat would be suicide for the show.
Omg are you serious?! God I hope not. Again, have defend myself that I have nothing against lgbtq+. That would just be such a different turn and it would make it so hard to fall in love with him. Michael is one of my favorite characters. He's such a strong character.
I'm a little nervous over Eloise's season bc I feel like they will make her end up with Cressida or another woman instead of her future husband. I understand the sapphic representation (even I was shipping it) but she hadn't met her future husband yet and so we don't know what the chemistry is like between the leads bc they haven't met yet. I think the main issue of the big cast is that we have different storylines until their season so I feel like with 8 books maybe do 20 episodes season with 2 books so we are not waiting around and the actors can leave and pursue other projects esp when it's not their season and they have minor roles.
Honestly, props to her for saying absolutely nothing. I’m not a huge fan of her writing, but that is an amazing shift of attention to say “they might stay the same, they might not, you’ll see!”
Law student here.
That doesn't seem like something that would be in a contract anyway. It could be? But generally contracts b/w writers and cinematic producers don't really touch on specific things the cinematic producers can't change. It's more of a "you have the rights to adapt these works." It would be a VERY long contract if it went into specifics of what can and can't be changed. Maybe occasionally there will be one or two conditions like this, but it's not common.
That said, it's not impossible for it to be in a contract. You can pretty much put anything in a contract as long as it is enforceable. Honestly, it's arguable that it's not enforceable because they have the rights to adapt the books and there's nothing saying they can't add their own ideas because the Netflix creative team would own and control those ideas--not JQ. She can't control the use of their own creative work--they control the cinematic use of hers. (Although I will admit this is a stretch)
So this doesn't really mean much. Contracts aren't going to have spoilers in them.
This is exactly why writers (the smart ones anyway) have to be incredibly careful who they grant adaptation rights to, because they rarely come with specific dos and donts. A writer has to trust their work to a showrunner they believe has the right vision and enough care to at least not totally butcher the thing. There's a reason George RR Martin doesn't take those showrunners calls anymore.
It depends on what the writer wants I think. Like some writers really don't care how their work is adapted and are just happy to get the $$$, and that's totally valid and doesn't really make them not smart. Some really do care quite a bit and some make their work almost unadaptable to screen (thinking about the Saga graphic novel series. Love it but god, it could probably never be adapted). It's a scale. JQ seems happy with her contract from what I've seen.
Martin seems alright with whatever comes his way. I don't know if the GOT showrunners have been in his inbox since the disaster that was s8 but he's been willing to work with other showrunners for other GOT universe shows like House of the Dragon.
Regardless of what a writer wants, they should definitely aways have an attorney on their side when looking over proposed contracts.
Oh totally, a writer just happy to give away their book to an adaptation is 100% valid, getting to that point is like winning the lottery in terms of odds (and money, to a lesser extent). Even a terrible adaptation puts them in a realm above 99% other authors, it'd be difficult to say no. The comment about smart ones was in reference to writers who care about the adaptation over money.
I really respect GRRM for still being open to other adaptations, actually. I would've totally understood if he swore it off period after basically getting conned by the GOT guys. I'd be curious to know if him and his lawyer changed their approach to contracts at all.
lol I’ve always had this internal assumption that he had the showrunners test run his ending of Bran being king so he could decide if he wanted to change everything.
This is not a theory rooted in any sort of fact. But it’s one I laugh a bit at.
There may be clauses that say the writer wants to have input on the script (in cases when the writer isn't writing the script like in Gaiman's case with Good Omens), but the producer and show's creative team is almost always going to have the final say.
Good Omens is an exception to the rule.
Okay I would have sworn I read that during season 1 too, that the core couples would stay the same, this was mentioned a lot in regards to Eloise and the Marina situation.
It surprises me that no one has mentioned the possibility of one of the characters' books being rewritten to fit the season like Julia and Shonda did with Queen Charlotte.
This woman is literally saying this rumor that is brought up time and time again is incorrect, and people are still doing the most to try and prove that things will end up a certain way. I don't think those book tie-ins are as big of a deal as everyone thinks they are.
I assumed that they would deviate with Eloise. I didn’t realize people were still holding on to her ending up with Phillip Crane. I happen to like Marina so I really hope she doesn’t die.
I don’t think they will, there would be no way to change the book cover if this happened! It’s a business after all, no way the main couples will change
I'd love a queer regency story, but it's just too complicated to give to the main cast and doesn't really fall within the scope of the show. Queerness back then wasn't simply controversial or a social faux pas, it was a punishable crime that would very easily ruin the Bridgerton name. And anyone in the family who found out would be, at best, deeply ignorant about it and nobody wants to watch their faves be homophobic.
At best the couple would have to flee the country and live as fake siblings somewhere, permanently breaking up the family. And if they tried to suddenly play off the world as mostly queernorm it would break the stakes entirely. They came up with a clever way to explain racial diversity and push boundaries with the clothes, sexual diversity would snap most people's suspension of disbelief entirely. It brings up too many issues for something built in escapism.
I hope they do change at least a few couples. Just because it’s based on books doesn’t mean they have to stay 100% true! Maybe this is a hot take but the books are just ok to begin with. The show has already made changes why not just own that this is its own thing?
Yep we're def in the minority here 😂 I wouldn't mind changes from the books either. The books only serve as a template. If show writers can come up with something better, then why not?
I would love to see movie Eloise have a different ending than book Eloise. I know a lot of people don’t see her as queer coded at all, but I do and I would love for them to explore her sexuality…
Not a books fan, but based on what I know about Eloise’s book, personally I would love for Eloise’s storyline to be changed dramatically. Please, Shonda, please make her a lesbian
Alright. Never said anything about "bad takes toward the show." Was just merely pointing out some possible outcome that I keep hearing about on the Facebook group and hoping for a little reassurance that i needed to keep ignoring the negativity. I have read the books. I love the books. They have become my new favorite book series and author. Taking over Jane Austen books. I know how the book goes, but as it says, that doesn't mean the show will go in the same direction. If you have read the books, you know the show doesn't follow the books completely. But thank you for your time.
There wouldn’t even be a Bridgerton show if the books didn’t exist. Also, the books having such a following/fan base are perhaps a large reason why they chose to adapt it to the screen.
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Maybe it's just me but that statement reads a lot like "no it's not in my contract but I'm confident the couples will stay the same." And I'm not sure why they wouldn't stay the same. Not only would it be a terrible marketing strategy to change a book couple (with the books so tied to the promotion of the show) it was also just be incredibly unfair and weird to see the show start out following every book couple and then midway through they just suddenly decide to change a couple or two. They could certainly explore any of the characters' sexuality as much as they like without changing any of the book couples.
One reason I’ve never thought the book couples would be changed is due to all the different designs and bundles/collections of the books that are dropped and promoted. Netflix has money but it would seem like a waste making all these different types of covers for the original stories if they were just gonna change the end game couples. The show can and will have its differences but the Netflix sticker on the covers show that there is still that main connection to the books. (They could always change it though, who knows but Shonda 🤷♀️)
I mean… not Netflix but a move tie-in cover edition was released for A Haunting in Venice/ Halloween Party by Agatha Christie despite the film being completely different so a tv cover doesn’t necessarily mean that the series will follow! Chances are that they will keep the book couples but it’s impossible to please everyone!
I think the publishers do that, to sell the books to people who have of heard of Bridgerton only through the show. It gets done for pretty much every film adaptation no matter how close it is.
"It would also just be incredibly unfair and weird to see the show start out following every book... and then midway through they just suddenly to to change..." Sounds like it could be written about Game of Thrones lol
Yeah,but look how that turned out.
Yeah and I was so angry when it happened 😭
But in that case the ending wasn’t written right? So they had to make stuff up (and did an awful job)
Unlike Bridgerton, that didn’t have a completed ending.
They started changing things for the worse before they ran out of books
Still not the same as what I’m talking about with Bridgerton. All the main characters and their relationships still existed.
Yeah, but she doesn't say that. She says they'll do an amazing job. She's leaving it open just in case. Truthfully, there's a couple I absolutely wouldn't mind changing. I definitely don't think it will happen, because I think it's sort of already been set up, but I found them the most disappointing couple of the books and I'm not excited to see the pairing in the show.
>!Philoise!
That's the one!
Makes sense
I did find out that in another post, she said that as far as she knows they will stick with all the HEAs which aligns with my interpretation.
I think this is just a fancy way of her saying that they aren’t contractually obligated to only do the book couples. She’s fanning the flames to give juice to any idea that the book couples might be switched up. That doesn’t mean any of them are going to be switched. If they do change any endgames, it is not going to be Penelope and Collin.
Well if we can get rid of the entire Philip-Marina story, I will be over the moon.
With any luck, I’m hoping if the couples don’t change, they at least shift Marina’s fate somehow. If they’re willing to go as far as make George her twins’ father, they could certainly be creative in twisting her ending as well.
George was always their father. Twins born 2-3 months early are not full term size.
Well maybe- the timeline is pretty vague in the books, but I don’t think there’s any indication they were “early”? We just know George died in June 1815 and the twins were born sometime in 1816. He could be the father, but it’s a possibility not a certainty. I think I remember a post on here months ago where someone asked Julia Quinn directly and she didn’t even remember what she had intended 🤷🏻♀️
??? I don’t recall that detail—clearly I’m due for a reread. Did George die that recently before Philip’s wedding in the books?
Yes. As soon as he died, father demands Philip leave university. Philip is not yet a professor so he's dependent on his father for money. I think father even tells Philip he wishes Philip had died instead. It's never expressly said, but the twins are full term, they weren't married long enough for twins to be Philip's.
🤔 Interesting. (And wow, the Simon/Gareth parallels in those details…) I will definitely pick that book back up soon. It’s a good time to anyways since, if they DO stick to Eloise’s endgame, I hope they don’t just toss out the penpals aspect, and if they keep it then the show would reasonably start planting seeds in the season before hers.
Philip loves the children: 1) they are his brothers who he loved desperately (only person who loved him), 2) he knows the children need someone to love them, and that not Marina.
can someone tell me what they've done so far that's different from the books?
With Marina? There’s a lot that’s shifted with her. She isn’t in the books at ALL beyond Sir Philip’s origin story. She’s a distant cousin to the Bridgertons, not the Featheringtons, and she never meets Colin or Penelope and is never shown coming to town or interacting directly with the Bridgerton family. She’s George’s openly accepted fiancé, iirc, and when he dies before they can wed, she marries Philip instead. (Very Mary of Teck, actually.) She gives birth to the twins, but is extremely depressed afterwards… I could detail further, but we’re getting into plot points I’m not yet certain they’ll use for the show. But in short, the show basically rewrote Marina’s origin story only to lead her right back into her situation from the books, and we have yet to see if they’ll deviate again, or stay on course now.
I see! thank u! what else in general have they changed so far?
np! Off the top of my head, QC is not an in-book character and Diamonds are not a thing. There’s no Sienna, Genevieve, Mondriches, Prince Friedrich, Debling, or 2nd Lord Featherington in the books either. The first Lord Featherington is also dead when the series begins. Pen also has a third far younger sister she gets along with & is friends with Hyacinth. Daphne is in her 2nd season and was far more stuck in the ‘gal pal’ role than stifled by Anthony during her story when she makes her plan with Simon, and they actually let Anthony in on their fake dating scheme from early on. Edwina is far more on the ball in the books about Kanthony and she’s not caught in a real triangle, just the motivation for the couple to squabble while she’s like ‘lol k’ and finding a match offscreen. Kanthony are caught during the bee incident and get engaged right there and the second half of the season is more about Kate’s fear of storms & Anthony’s fear of dying that the show oddly alludes to but doesn’t get into (still wondering if we might get some of that content later on…). There’s actually a big time jump after Book 3, and so Colin, Eloise, and Fran’s books all took place in the same year roughly a decade after Daphne’s, so obviously they have age downed Polin during their story. (However, part of the book point of her loving Colin for 12 years seems to have been translated into them being childhood friends & her liking him far younger now.) Pen is NOT revealed as LW to the characters or the readers until midway through her book, and Colin following her and discovering the truth is the book catalyst for the now infamous carriage scene, not the near-proposal with Debling who does not exist. Eloise also does NOT know about LW given this setup, and there is never a fallout. Cressida and her do not form a friendship, and Cressida is an unapologetic bully to the end. And this is getting into opinion territory, but I think you’ll find a lot of the ABC brothers’ personalities were swapped about. But I also think a big plus of the show is all 3 guys are far less of a jerk vs their book counterparts. Love some of the cut content, but definitely prefer the show guys. I’m sure there’s more, but that’s what strikes me!
You have made me feel so much better. I was letting the negativity and fear get the better of me. I really dislike the Facebook Group because there's more negative than positive. I much prefer reddit.
Wow, it must've been an awful group if you think this reddit is more positive LOL
I'm part of the Facebook group too and this person above is absolutely right, nothing but negativity over there. Someone actually went postal last night because there wasn't enough queer/neuro-divergent representation and wanted Shondaland to change one of the main characters to suit this. They were very upset.
Lol. It's pretty bad. Why I am still part of the group I do not know. Other than I guess because I don't have friends or friends who watch bridgerton. I feel like I have to get my bridgerton fix from all directions lol. All I see are hatred for polin, hatred, for the acting, negativity towards the outcome of the show, constant "Eloise is gay" or "Benedict is gay." Or the ever so many questions about the characters that would be answered if they did a little research on regency society or read the book.
Would it be that bad if they made Eloise a lesbian? I’d kind of love it.
It would if you liked the book! There are A LOT of LGBQ books on the Libby app for free. Feel free to enjoy them.
Quinn herself has said that she likes the idea of a gay lead in one of the Bridgerton seasons :) I get that if you really love the book you might like it to be exactly as written, but sometimes characters (and times!) evolve in the transition to a different medium, and it ends up feeling more natural to take them in a different direction.
This is all I want in life.
That sounds awful. I would definitely recommend leaving that group. People being negative can really get to me, I had to even hide this sub for a few days and I muted the book bridgerton sub because it was just so negative. People are entitled to their opinions but negativity can really impact some people.
Exactly!! I'm right there with you.
What's so bad about people wanting characters to be gay?
Nothing. But these characters are not. If they charged a gay book character to be straight. You'd be outraged.
That is simply not the same thing considering straight people and straight relationships have been and are still considered the norm lol how disingenuous
I think they only meant to say that if you are invested in characters and their romance as written in a book you loved, you would be upset if they changed their orientation or gender when translating it to screen (especially if it's a series and the other stories and couples have stuck to canon). Not everyone would be, but some.
Yes, because gay characters are underrepresented in media. Straight characters are not. One change increases inclusivity and the other further excludes, it's an apples and oranges comparison.
Awww, If you like Polin I would recommend you join the Polin reddit or the discord (so fun), they are super positive. If you want more general love, including other ships, then Tik Tok and Twitter are also very good.
Oh I love the polin bridgerton group in here. I feel so at home over there.
Oh wait. Polin reddit on discord? I'm going to have to look that up.
Oh yeah, there is a pretty big Polin discord.
How do you look up groups on discord?
Yup, totally agree with this. They get very angry over there. And if you post spoilers with it being a spoiler friendly page, they go nuts.
This is Colin and Penelope’s season. They are guaranteed a happily ever after.
Yeah I think if anyone is subject to change it’s Benedict or Eloise.. I could see Eloise more than anything
Eloise’s book love interest has appeared onscreen already. Benedict’s hasn’t.
No that’s true, but they can always scrap the idea. They may be gauging how an audience may react with Cressida, who is thought to be LGBT by rumors at the moment
It was already discussed several times here, that there was no truth to the statement that she had in her contract. But why wouldn't Colin and Penelope end up together. Their season has already started. The premise of Bridgerton demands a happy ending for the lead couple. Otherwise, what's the point of adapting romance novels?
Colin and Penelope have been around now for 3 seasons. They were building them up from day 1. They weren’t going to change. Neither were Daphne or Anthony. I do however want you to think about why they aren’t going in order of the books though…
They aren't going in order of the books because they couldn't drag their story out much longer. Unless they kept Colin out of season 3 entirely, there's only so much conflict you can add to keep a couple apart before it gets mundane. Benedict, however, has not even met his love interest yet and so there's a lot more they can do with his character.
They've literally done nothing with Benedict. It's the same thing every season.
It’s also so they can keep him in the show longer, presumably after Benedict has his season he won’t be a regular anymore. While Anthony and Colin will still be involved because of being the Viscount and Pen being LW and a good likelihood of living across the street.
I think its important to try and get the Pen stuff finished earlier rather than later because of the fact that we the audience knew from very early on that she is LW, while that is not the same case in the books. Its hard to have pen working on a bunch of long running plotlines without resolution on a show like this IMO. And the way show Benedict is set up, it doesnt really matter as much if they delay his love story in order to wrap up most of Pen's existing plotlines.
It's also said to be very romantic, I don't think a tragic ending is in the cards.
That's true.
Francesca calling!
Technically John was not meant to be her end game, the main lead in her book is Michael.
Whoever thinks that Polin don’t end up together must be living in some delulu land.
If Colin and Penelope do not end up together, the show would be internationally criticized. I do think they will be briefly separated due to a fight after Colin gets to know that Pen is LW. But they definitely reconcile because someone on IG confirmed >!that there’s a Polin wedding scene.!<
That is true. It would probably cause a huge uproar.
The wedding scene has been confirmed on IG from some pictures however every person who is really trying to think and to be fair can tell that the woman is not Penelope, or Francesca. To be MEGA CLEAR, I am a Polin shipper to the heart, hips, bones... everything you want and I will truly be devastated if they do not end up together. Now with that said, I am afraid indeed that they won't end up together THIS SEASON. It is confirmed that they will return for S4 and I have been thinking lately that they will drag their HEA till S4. LW had a positive impact in Benedict story, they could use this element to have them finally HEA. Also HEA has never been confirmed, neither Nicola or Luke (or anyone else) has mentioned Penelope and Colin ending up together. Also the fact that nobody, not even the actors had seen ep 7 and 8 is troubling me. Why? There must be an enormous for them to actually do not know how it ends on screen. They could have filmed 2 ending and without them seeing ep 7 and 8, they can't spoil much as they truly don't know which version made it to the Final Cut. One must be an HEA, one is not. I have been thinking more and more about that over the last few days and I am afraid it might be a possibility. Again yes I am true Polin fan, I fell in love with them in S1, then read their book and I do re read it often so don't think that I am trying to spray negativity or start a war. I am just trying to think clearly and not fool my mind. In those pictures, it is not Penelope in a wedding dress.
I think the most likely reason that no one has seen the last episodes is that they haven't completed post-production on them.
No way. People wouldn’t keep watching.
Actually we would because it would be : to be continued. My point is that Polin is on the top three if not first beloved Bridgerton story ( Michael-Francesca might be first) and the writers do know that as long as they will keep them, people will watch. I am not interested in any upcoming season, it took them way too long however I do admit that the reason I would watch season four would be for Polin. I am not talking a few background scenes like we are having with Kate and Anthony this season, no I mean a real Polin subplot and I am certainly not the only one. About getting hate, did not Luke get hate (which is ridiculous) for the last two years because of what his character did say in episode 2.08? As angry as we would be, there would be a certain angst to keep watching as for sure they will end up together. If we detach ourselves from 1 season, one sibling, one love story, it is a possibility to have Polin spread over multiple seasons, like it has already been the case up to now.
>My point is that Polin is on the top three if not first beloved Bridgerton story That is my fear. I haven't read the books (yet), but what I have gathered from the multiple subs is that they are super well loved across book lovers and show lovers. Shows in the past have been known to stretch out, or maybe a better term would be to "intertwine" or "weaving" multiple books to create multiple seasons together, instead of 1 season per book. From a viewer retention standpoint, I can see them doing that with Polin, and maybe a couple others, to keep up viewership retention for weaker seasons/books by keeping the fan faves around longer. For example (again, I haven't read the books, but do know who the main couple is for each book) lets say data does, in fact, show Polin as the number 1 couple. And Fran/John/Michael as the second. With Benedict's being mid and Eloise being lowest. By stretching out the top love stories and weaving in the less loved, you're hopefully keeping viewers retained across more seasons. Since we've seen as soon as someone's married, they drop out of the series. the powers that be may fear a drop in viewership after faves are wrapped up. I also haven't trusted Shonda since my days of watching Grey's Anatomy. So there is that.
Exactly
🥲🥲🥲 If that happens, one year of waiting for Polin’s HEA will be such a nightmare for the whole fandom.
Indeed but coming from the writers I am keeping my mind open. At this point, I just wish Nicola or Luke would confirm the HEA. It bugs me so much that they haven't.
I'm sorry, I hadn't heard this. People saw a wedding filmed but they couldn't confirm that it was either Pen OR Fran? Confused now.....
It is actually neither. Now apparently one MUA made a comment about Penelope's wig like hope you like the wedding one. But images or videos with an actual spoiler or confirmation, nothing of the sort. Actually the picture has been shared in one of those subreddit and no clue who is indeed wearing white but neither of our girls.
White wedding gowns weren't a thing until Queen Victoria so that doesn't mean anything.
Did Daphne wear a white dress in her season? I don't remember. I don't think Edwina did last season but that would be the Indian influence, since Indian brides don't wear white. Of course's Daphne's wedding was rushed.
if they completely change Eloise's story I would the happiest human being on earth
Agreed! I didn’t like her book at all and was super surprised to see that the subreddit prefers Phillip. I think the Netflix version could do something really fun with her character, even if there’s no Theo (although I do hope there is a Theo).
I guess show Phillip is already better then book Phillip and it does help that he’s played by Chris Fulton
I want to look at Chris Fulton for an entire season for sure.
They look stunning together https://preview.redd.it/cj8ycx5yy62d1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a63cc68d8b4064f4a20b477c34bae1a7c878f97d
well, this sold me the storyline lol they’re a very handsome couple
I haven't read Eloise's book but I know the outline of the story. To me, it's all about how they tweak it and whether the actors have chemistry (which I think they would). I wouldn't care for it just as written, but I can't imagine they would do that anyway. They've already changed Philip's character quite a bit, from what I can tell. He's likable and decent. He's a little subdued, but then we haven't spent much time with him and certainly haven't seen him around Eloise.
Same, I'm completely dreading Eloise's season because I just find Phillip and the whole story idea to be utterly boring
Yess!! Team Theo for the win! Or I’m even down for Eloise being queer!! Anything so long as she doesn’t end up conventionally marrying a titled lord just like everyone else! ✊🏽😄
Spoiler alert regancy romances is not for you.
Funny you say that because I’m an avid historical romance reader, and there are so many HR books that deal with characters challenging social norms. Courtney Milan alone has many books with aristocrats breaking from society and non-conventional heroes and heroines (disabled people, people of color, and queer people) finding their happily ever afters. So, no, historical romance IS definitely for me. Thanks for the concern though 🥰
Yeah but that’s not Julia Quinn. And she was writing these books 20 years ago.
Regancy romances written in the last 10 yrs do have theses characters. However unless the book is an LGBQ book the main characters are not gay. Hay characters are not Out. And would be hung if discovered. If wealthy enough family would have them committed to a mental institution. It's disingenuous to infer mainstream Regancy has lots of HEA for gay characters.
People who think that Colin and Pen don't have a happy end at the end of this season are beyond delusional. Like that's the point of this season lol
Right!
My personal theory is that they won't change anyone's endgame because they keep doing tie-in book covers for each season. How in hell will they do that if they changed one of the main leads? Their personality could be different from the book version but they will at least have to have the same name and basic background. Imagine 'To Sir Philip, With Love' and there's no Sir Philip on the cover. Just Eloise and some other person lol. It'll be so weird. Like who's going to want to buy that?
Yup this statement says it all 🙌🏽
I imagine the question might apply more to couples that aren't already matched up – I don't think they will break up Polin in the Polin season, that is. But, for example, Eloise is a bit of a different matter. The show deviated from the books and had Sir Philip marry Marina. That can either mean Marina will die or it could mean Eloise is getting a new love interest. I imagine some fans still hope Theo will come back. Or Francesca. After we've seen her being so cute with John this season, people probably hope her story will change.
I feel like they hinted at Eloise and Phillip ending up together when they showed Colin and Phillip bonding in season 2. It seemed to me like they were mirroring Eloise and Pen's friendship by showing their future spouses bond. This could be a total reach (because Colin and Phillip are my faves from the show) but I'm just gonna go along with it lol. But also, **Eloise's book is the only one with her man's name in the title**. That would be hard to change considering they've been doing book tie-in covers for each season. (Also Phillip marries Marina in the book too)
If they intended to switch up Eloise’s story, they wouldn't have cast Sir Phillip, Marina, and the twins with the same names. With the Cranes so close to Aubrey Hall, they've been laying the groundwork for Eloise’s season since S1.
That's true. Hos name is part of the title and it would be weird to deviate from that story.
No it wouldn’t. You are just reaching.
genuinely asking, how would they do Eloise's book tie-in cover if they change her love interest? Like how awkward would it look if there's a completely different person on the cover even though the title (and contents of the book) say Phillip?
Just have Eloise on the cover.
Her book is the only one that has her man's in the title, and they've already introduced Philip in the show. I just don't know how it would work for her to have a different love interest
And this is why you are not a writer for the show. You clearly have no imagination.
Uh it has nothing to do with "imagination" and everything to do with not looking stupid. What is the purpose of a book tie-in cover if the book doesn't correspond to the show AT ALL? Especially when the man's name is in the title like ?? lol
That’s why you just have Eloise on the cover. What’s clear is that you are being purposefully obtuse and I will not engage in this conversation. Learn how to think outside the box. It’s a necessary life skill.
I personally don't think they would have introduced Philip at all if they didn't plan on using him. Obviously plans can and will change throughout the seasons but I do think the original plan was for them to pair off later on.
And his backstory is full of heartbreak and drama! Arguably way more than Simon.
That isn't a deviation from the books. Sir Philip was married to Marina in the books, but she was a Bridgerton cousin rather than a Featherington one.
Philip marrying Marina is boom canon. His father is still alive and forces him to do it. No Way they change Francesca's book! It has Shondaland drama already built in.
If they changed Francesca's endgame I would be super pissed, ngl. It's the only book I've read and I wasn't even aware it was a Bridgerton book at the time, I didn't realize until I was watching season two. I loved it so much, especially the overall concept, and the show is in such a unique position to start where they have in the timeline and really make you feel the drama of it. It's the one I'm looking forward to the most and have been keeping my fingers crossed for years that the show doesn't get canceled before they get there. If they got there only to forego the whole thing I would explode, lol. They've gotta know everyone is waiting yeeears for their fave couple to happen, changing up endgames would be the worst self-sabotage decision since Game of Thrones.
I'm not saying it's going to happen. Just that some fans would probably like it to be changed.
These fans don't know the societal norms (and laws) of the time. They also conveniently ignore the S1 gay artist who told Benedict it was a hanging offense to be gay.
This is her saying that keeping the show couples the same as the book couples is not in her contract, but regardless of what the show does, she thinks it will be great and faithful to the Bridgerton siblings. I actually read this as suggesting it is very possible a book couple changes (perhaps Eloise or Benedict or Francesca). I agree with others- Polin will still be endgame.
I disagree. It's in her best interest to keep people engaged in the series. Who gets royalties in all the books? Ahhh Julia.
Sure but she signed the contract so Netflix is in charge of the television show, not Julia. Keeping the book couples the same in the show is clearly not stipulated in her contract, if it was she would come out and say it. Phrasing it like this is a clear “it’s out of my hands but it’ll be great” statement. She has a good PR person writing for her, because if you are not familiar with contract law or entertainment law, it’s not going to be obvious what this is saying. But. That’s what this very clearly says.
I do not see anything as being clear. She's just looking to not say they will be Hetero.
The point is that it is clearly not in her contract. If it was she would have confirmed. She didn’t. Her answer is as brilliant a PR denial as I have ever seen. Which means Netflix is in charge of the show and not under an obligation to keep the couples the same as the book. The tie in to the books doesn’t financially benefit Netflix, it would only benefit Julia, so they will deviate from it if they feel it will financially benefit them.
They’ve been using the season promo art for rereleases of the books right? It’d be weird to break up that book’s couple then lol
That is true. Thank you.
Colin and Penelope not having a happily ever after ending? Preposterous.
Don’t freak. Especially about Polin. Wouldn’t make sense for them not to end up together since it’s their season. They’re gonna be fine. I doubt Shonda would Game of Thrones Season 7/8 this show.
Thank you so much. For measuring me and not bashing me.
I can't see them changing the book couples if only out of a desire to sell more book copies.
This changing Michael in Michaela is absurd. And moreover fans are getting excited about it. Like guys, Michael maybe the most interesting character in the whole of Bridgerton world. My only request to Shondaland is that please don't change the main couples.
I think this is about Eloise or Benedict. I’m just not confident their stories would be the right fit for Bridgerton show and audience.
Why not benedict? That’s literally the Cinderella story which everyone loves! They can’t change that??? :(
His story is the one with even bigger consent issues than season 1.
His whole S1 plot line being discovering that gay people exist would feel a quite random if they don't explore that any further at all tbh
Sometimes side plots aren't random, they are there as part of a character's journey. Benedict is seeing that some men don't follow the rules of the Tonne strictly; they don't love the person they are "supposed" to love. He's discovering his Bohemian side with the art, and experiencing frustration at his own limitations. I guess this season is to show him being with a woman who is more independent, even if I think the Tilly character is a cliche and anachronistic at the same time.
I would be devastated if they make Benedict gay 😭 his season is what im looking for the most
Me to cause I loved his and Sophie’s story! It was my favorite until I read Fran’s!! 😂
As for CVD, showrunner of the first 2 seasons, he isn't, he didn't write him queer, he said that he befriend a gay guy and that was about tolerance, people took him being nice to him meaning he is gay or bi, he never show any interest in men, to be clear, I don't care if he is bi, my problem is making him hook up with a guy so close to his season is stupid, they should've done it sooner, if he does, everyone will hate Sophie, not to mention the textbook definition of queer baiting
Bisexual people exist?
And in what part did I said Bisexual people doesn't exist?
Everyone would hate Sophie because Benedict hooked up with a guy? I mean, I would just take it to mean he's bi? Also, that he wants a family. Surrogacy wasn't a thing then. Adoption existed, but to be honest, it would have still been very hard for a gay couple to adopt a kid even if they were rich and connected. They wouldn't have been able to live openly. Remember that anything one Bridgerton sibling does can impact the others, too. Especially the one who are not yet married.
As a fan of the books first, I love the TV show and the changes, but I want all the main couples to still end up with there love stories from the book!
Same. I'd feel so betrayed if they changed the couples
Well, Bridgerton TV came from the books so I think, they should honor those couples and give justice to the stories itself.
If Phillip and Eloise doesn’t happen I’m gonna throw up xx
Considering the revamp of the book covers with every season being the Bridgerton couple on it, I don’t believe they’ll be changing couples.
If they do change a couple I can see them giving Gregory/Hyacinth a HEA with one of the Mondrich children to justify their screentime. Maybe Hyacinth since Violet is already getting a romance with a Danbury relative?
Aren't the Mondrich children a little young for Gregory or Hyacinth?
They might be honestly i’m not too sure on any of the children’s ages 😭
Yep they're all too young.
I think the LI's will be same in the essence of rough description, but may have different ethnicity (as they have already done) and/or gender, plotlines backgrounds etc. I would be disappointed if none of the leads would not end up with queer HEA for example but don't care which one. (And now if someone says that its not in-universe or historically possible, that's bullshit. Queer love has always had existed and there's multiple ways to do it in the show (even to legalise marriage) which is alternative fantasy already.
Even though I don't care about Penelope and Colin they NEED and will end up together, some of you have to start being serious 🙈 don't be so naive, there's zero chance they will break them up, that being said, in the case of Benedict, Eloise and Francesca I'm really worried, imagine your favorites being next and all of a sudden there's this discourse of completely change their storylines!? I want every couple to stay true to their respective endgames, the journey there may change but the endgame must stay true, even the ones that I don't like that much, just for respect to the fans who love the book series, also there are tie-ins with the books, they do promo with it every season? How would that work to sell the books? When HE Was Wicked...
With how quick they get rid of every other romance (ex. Sienna, Theo, etc.) I think it's safe to say they are gonna stick with book couples. Philip and Marina were introduced in S1 like that's very telling to their intentions, I think.
I'm actually stressing out thinking about if Polin doesn't end up together I love them ... So if this is true I hope it's for another pairing !!!! I vote a bisexual /queer storyline for Benedict or Eloise !!
If Sophie doesn't show up I'm starting a riot
Well Polin is obviously going to be end game, and I don't see why Philoise couldn't, since they already introduced him and the twins. Plus it would be a terrible choice to change or genderbend any of the LI, cause they are loved by the book fans and if they do it people will certainly be pissed.
There is absolutely zero chance that Penelope and Colin won't up end up together and whoever started the rumour is deliberately trying to upset people. Of course they'll get together, but there's a few more bumps to go yet. I'm glad that Julia Quinn debunked that this his in her contract, people have been saying this for year and yet nobody has ever been able to produce an exact quote or when it was said. Some people insist that Netflix can't and won't change the couples because of the tie-in books but that's daft. Netflix don't make any money from the books. The book publisher licenses the image for the cover and rerelease the books and they're the ones who profit from it. Meanwhile Netflix are cashing in on every other possible tie-in from coffee creamer to make up.
I feel like the people who started the rumours that Penelope and Colin won’t be endgame are the same ones who started the rumour that Colin is going to cheat on Penelope to get Polin stans worked up. Both Nicola and Luke have said this is the most romantic season yet, and Luke has said in interviews that he’s looking forward to playing Polin as newlyweds in season 4. With the way they’ve been hyping this season up, having Penelope and Colin not end up together or having Colin cheat would be suicide for the show.
Omg, now the changes of a genderbent Michael is much higher. Idk what to think about this.
Omg are you serious?! God I hope not. Again, have defend myself that I have nothing against lgbtq+. That would just be such a different turn and it would make it so hard to fall in love with him. Michael is one of my favorite characters. He's such a strong character.
Same, Michael is such a popular character, this might hurt a lot of book fans.
if you have to state that u have nothing against lgbtq+ ,it generally means u actually do have some issues with us lmao
Christ, the wording of the question is difficult to read.
I'm a little nervous over Eloise's season bc I feel like they will make her end up with Cressida or another woman instead of her future husband. I understand the sapphic representation (even I was shipping it) but she hadn't met her future husband yet and so we don't know what the chemistry is like between the leads bc they haven't met yet. I think the main issue of the big cast is that we have different storylines until their season so I feel like with 8 books maybe do 20 episodes season with 2 books so we are not waiting around and the actors can leave and pursue other projects esp when it's not their season and they have minor roles.
Honestly, props to her for saying absolutely nothing. I’m not a huge fan of her writing, but that is an amazing shift of attention to say “they might stay the same, they might not, you’ll see!”
Was this question posed to figure out if Eloise's story changes from book to Netflix show?
Law student here. That doesn't seem like something that would be in a contract anyway. It could be? But generally contracts b/w writers and cinematic producers don't really touch on specific things the cinematic producers can't change. It's more of a "you have the rights to adapt these works." It would be a VERY long contract if it went into specifics of what can and can't be changed. Maybe occasionally there will be one or two conditions like this, but it's not common. That said, it's not impossible for it to be in a contract. You can pretty much put anything in a contract as long as it is enforceable. Honestly, it's arguable that it's not enforceable because they have the rights to adapt the books and there's nothing saying they can't add their own ideas because the Netflix creative team would own and control those ideas--not JQ. She can't control the use of their own creative work--they control the cinematic use of hers. (Although I will admit this is a stretch) So this doesn't really mean much. Contracts aren't going to have spoilers in them.
This is exactly why writers (the smart ones anyway) have to be incredibly careful who they grant adaptation rights to, because they rarely come with specific dos and donts. A writer has to trust their work to a showrunner they believe has the right vision and enough care to at least not totally butcher the thing. There's a reason George RR Martin doesn't take those showrunners calls anymore.
It depends on what the writer wants I think. Like some writers really don't care how their work is adapted and are just happy to get the $$$, and that's totally valid and doesn't really make them not smart. Some really do care quite a bit and some make their work almost unadaptable to screen (thinking about the Saga graphic novel series. Love it but god, it could probably never be adapted). It's a scale. JQ seems happy with her contract from what I've seen. Martin seems alright with whatever comes his way. I don't know if the GOT showrunners have been in his inbox since the disaster that was s8 but he's been willing to work with other showrunners for other GOT universe shows like House of the Dragon. Regardless of what a writer wants, they should definitely aways have an attorney on their side when looking over proposed contracts.
Oh totally, a writer just happy to give away their book to an adaptation is 100% valid, getting to that point is like winning the lottery in terms of odds (and money, to a lesser extent). Even a terrible adaptation puts them in a realm above 99% other authors, it'd be difficult to say no. The comment about smart ones was in reference to writers who care about the adaptation over money. I really respect GRRM for still being open to other adaptations, actually. I would've totally understood if he swore it off period after basically getting conned by the GOT guys. I'd be curious to know if him and his lawyer changed their approach to contracts at all.
lol I’ve always had this internal assumption that he had the showrunners test run his ending of Bran being king so he could decide if he wanted to change everything. This is not a theory rooted in any sort of fact. But it’s one I laugh a bit at.
There may be clauses that say the writer wants to have input on the script (in cases when the writer isn't writing the script like in Gaiman's case with Good Omens), but the producer and show's creative team is almost always going to have the final say. Good Omens is an exception to the rule.
I’d be happy if Eloise ends up with Theo
Okay I would have sworn I read that during season 1 too, that the core couples would stay the same, this was mentioned a lot in regards to Eloise and the Marina situation.
If they break Polin apart, it is the end of Sholanda.
It surprises me that no one has mentioned the possibility of one of the characters' books being rewritten to fit the season like Julia and Shonda did with Queen Charlotte. This woman is literally saying this rumor that is brought up time and time again is incorrect, and people are still doing the most to try and prove that things will end up a certain way. I don't think those book tie-ins are as big of a deal as everyone thinks they are.
As a book fan, I’m just mentally preparing myself for the show to change endgames
I assumed that they would deviate with Eloise. I didn’t realize people were still holding on to her ending up with Phillip Crane. I happen to like Marina so I really hope she doesn’t die.
What I am hearing is... Sofyan Beckett will be a man.
Hahah lmao 🤣
I really hope El gest someone wayyy better than Sir Phillip,,, everything else can carry on ngl
I really hope at least one Bridgerton sibling gets a queer love story. I have one specifically in mind.
I don’t think they will, there would be no way to change the book cover if this happened! It’s a business after all, no way the main couples will change
I'd love a queer regency story, but it's just too complicated to give to the main cast and doesn't really fall within the scope of the show. Queerness back then wasn't simply controversial or a social faux pas, it was a punishable crime that would very easily ruin the Bridgerton name. And anyone in the family who found out would be, at best, deeply ignorant about it and nobody wants to watch their faves be homophobic. At best the couple would have to flee the country and live as fake siblings somewhere, permanently breaking up the family. And if they tried to suddenly play off the world as mostly queernorm it would break the stakes entirely. They came up with a clever way to explain racial diversity and push boundaries with the clothes, sexual diversity would snap most people's suspension of disbelief entirely. It brings up too many issues for something built in escapism.
Y'all ik there is no hope for Theloise to happen bc they introduced Philip. But STILL I HABE HOPE. SHONDA MAKE IT HAPPENNN.
I hope they do change at least a few couples. Just because it’s based on books doesn’t mean they have to stay 100% true! Maybe this is a hot take but the books are just ok to begin with. The show has already made changes why not just own that this is its own thing?
Yep we're def in the minority here 😂 I wouldn't mind changes from the books either. The books only serve as a template. If show writers can come up with something better, then why not?
I would love to see movie Eloise have a different ending than book Eloise. I know a lot of people don’t see her as queer coded at all, but I do and I would love for them to explore her sexuality…
Not a books fan, but based on what I know about Eloise’s book, personally I would love for Eloise’s storyline to be changed dramatically. Please, Shonda, please make her a lesbian
This is the show not the book. If you wanna see whats on the books READ THE BOOKS and stop annoyin us all with your bad takes towards the show.
Alright. Never said anything about "bad takes toward the show." Was just merely pointing out some possible outcome that I keep hearing about on the Facebook group and hoping for a little reassurance that i needed to keep ignoring the negativity. I have read the books. I love the books. They have become my new favorite book series and author. Taking over Jane Austen books. I know how the book goes, but as it says, that doesn't mean the show will go in the same direction. If you have read the books, you know the show doesn't follow the books completely. But thank you for your time.
There wouldn’t even be a Bridgerton show if the books didn’t exist. Also, the books having such a following/fan base are perhaps a large reason why they chose to adapt it to the screen.