'Beautiful Bastard' TV Series Adaptation in the Works at Fifth Season

Variety

by Joseph Otterson

February 19, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Fifth Season has acquired the rights to adapt Christina Lauren’s erotic novel *Beautiful Bastard* into a television series. The announcement marks a significant step in bringing this popular story to life, with co-authors Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings set to write the TV adaptation under the supervision of Bill Dubuque, who will also produce alongside Kristen Campo. Known for their work on Fifth Season’s *His & Hers* series for Netflix, Dubuque and Campo bring a proven track record to this new project. The novel, published in 2013 by Simon & Schuster, centers on Chloe Mills, a sharp and ambitious junior executive navigating her career while dealing with an undeniable attraction to her demanding boss, Bennett Ryan. The story explores the high-stakes dynamics between the two as they struggle to maintain professionalism amid their growing chemistry. The series will delve into themes of ambition, desire, and the blurred lines between personal and professional relationships. The *Beautiful Bastard* franchise has achieved widespread success since its debut, with nine additional novels and novellas published in the series. These books have been translated into over 30 languages, making Christina Lauren a global literary phenomenon. The original novel topped bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and was a finalist for the Goodreads Readers’ Choice Romance of the Year award. This marks another milestone for Lauren, who has already seen her work adapted for Netflix in *In a Holidaze*, starring Rob Lowe and Maddie Ziegler. The adaptation underscores Fifth Season’s growing presence in original content creation, following their successful collaboration with Netflix on *His &

Verticals

entertainmentfilm

Originally published on Variety on 2/19/2026