Prime Video is working to adapt Rebecca Yarros’s bestselling fantasy novel Fourth Wing into a television series. The project, which aims to bring the popular ‘romantasy’ story of dragon riders to the screen, is in early development. Michael B. Jordan‘s production company is involved, but a final release date remains far off as the team works to meet massive fan expectations .
The series has been compared by some fans and outlets to other major fantasy hits like Game of Thrones, though the stories are quite different. Fourth Wing focuses on a single heroine’s journey in a deadly dragon-riding school, blending action with a central romance. The adaptation faces the challenge of translating a beloved book with a built-in audience from platforms like BookTok into a successful visual spectacle .
The Long Road to Production for Fourth Wing
Development on the Fourth Wing TV series has moved slowly but steadily. Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society secured the rights to adapt Rebecca Yarros’s entire Empyrean book series in October 2023 . Yarros is serving as an executive producer and has provided the production team with the planned five-book story arc for the series .
The search for a showrunner has seen some changes. Initially, Moira Walley-Beckett, known for her work on Breaking Bad and Anne with an “E”, was hired for the role . However, she exited the project in July 2025 . By September 2025, Amazon named Meredith Averill as the new showrunner. Averill has executive produced shows like Wednesday and The Haunting of Hill House and was co-creator of Locke & Key .
As of early 2026, the project is still in its early creative stages. In a January 2026 interview, Michael B. Jordan acknowledged the passionate fan base and confirmed the team is hard at work.
“We are making sure that this is going to be an exciting show that delivers on all of the things the fans want and some of the things that they won’t be expecting either,” Jordan told Deadline. “It’s early stages, but I feel how much people care about this one. It’s not lost on us.”
Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios, also emphasized a commitment to quality over speed, promising fans the team is working to “get this one right” . Given this timeline, most reports suggest a premiere is unlikely before 2028 .
What Fourth Wing Is Really About
For those new to the phenomenon, Fourth Wing is the first book in Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series. The story follows 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who is ordered by her mother, a commanding general, to train as a dragon rider at the brutal Basgiath War College .
Violet, who lives with a chronic illness that affects her joints and stamina, planned for a quiet life as a scribe. She is physically unsuited for the deadly training grounds where candidates compete for a chance to bond with dragons—and often kill each other in the process . The core of the story involves Violet using her intelligence to survive, her journey to bond with not one but two dragons, and a complex romantic relationship with Xaden Riorson, a senior rider whose father was executed by Violet’s mother .
The book genre is often called “romantasy,” blending epic fantasy elements with a central, steamy romance. Since its release in May 2023, it has been a massive bestseller, driven heavily by popularity on social media platforms like BookTok . Its sequel, Iron Flame, was released in November 2023, and the third book, Onyx Storm, debuted in January 2025 .
Fan Casting and Diversity Pledges for the TV Series
No official casting announcements have been made, as the project is still in pre-production . However, fan speculation and discussion are rampant online.
Author Rebecca Yarros has been clear about one key requirement for the adaptation: the character of Xaden Riorson must be played by a person of color. In the books, Xaden is described as having “warm tawny skin” .
“They know how staunch I am against whitewashing Xaden,” Yarros stated at a 2024 event. “I think that’s the biggest thing.”
She has also expressed a desire to keep her own “fan-cast” ideas private to avoid limiting the diversity of actors considered for the roles . Yarros has praised Outlier Society’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, which she says made the production company a good fit for the project .
Rumors have swirled around actor Josh Heuston, known for The Last of Us and Dune: Prophecy. When asked on a red carpet if fans could call him “Xaden,” Heuston gave a coy, non-committal answer, saying, “You have to ask the scribes, I suppose” . Many fans support him for the role of Xaden or his cousin Bodhi, but nothing is confirmed .
How Fourth Wing Compares to Game of Thrones Legacy
Inevitably, any major new fantasy series draws comparisons to Game of Thrones, one of the most successful and influential TV shows in the genre. Some fans and articles have labeled Fourth Wing as a potential successor . However, a closer look shows the two are very different in scope and style.
Game of Thrones was famous for its vast, multi-continent scale, dozens of viewpoint characters, and dense political plotting . Fourth Wing, by contrast, is primarily a single-character-driven story set within a war college, with a stronger focus on romance and personal growth .
The role of dragons is also distinct. In Game of Thrones, dragons are powerful but animalistic weapons. In Fourth Wing, dragons are sentient beings with their own society, politics, and the ability to communicate telepathically with their riders . The magic is more frequent and flashier, integral to combat and daily life at the college .
Where Fourth Wing might connect with a modern audience is in its accessibility and specific themes. It features a heroine with a disability, a central “enemies-to-lovers” romance, and a “dark academia” setting that has proven wildly popular with younger readers . It aims to tap into the same BookTok-driven fan culture that propelled the novels to success, a different path than Game of Thrones took .
The challenge for any fantasy series will be meeting the high bar of quality set by the early seasons of Game of Thrones. Data analysis shows the show’s audience viewership grew every season, but fan and critic ratings began to decline in later seasons, particularly after the show moved beyond its source material . For Fourth Wing, having the author involved and a complete book arc planned could help it maintain a consistent vision .
What Fans Expect From a Faithful Adaptation
With a passionate built-in audience, the Fourth Wing adaptation carries high expectations. Based on fan discussions and analyses, several elements are considered non-negotiable for a successful show.
First, the dragons must be spectacular and characterful. They are not mere beasts but key personalities in the story, with distinct colors, sizes, and traits . The show’s visual effects budget will need to prioritize making them believable and central to the narrative.
Second, the romantic tension between Violet and Xaden is a cornerstone of the book’s appeal. The “enemies-to-lovers” arc needs to be developed with care and believability to satisfy fans .
Third, the adaptation must not shy away from the violence and high stakes of the war college. The story is set in a brutal environment where death during training is common, and that pervasive danger is a core part of the world-building .
Fourth, the found family dynamics Violet builds with other cadets like Rhiannon and Liam are crucial emotional pillars of the story . Finally, the show must honor the diversity presented in the books, which includes characters of various ethnicities, sexualities, and abilities, like Violet’s friend Jesinia, who is deaf .
Author Rebecca Yarros has read at least one version of the pilot script and expressed great excitement. After reading an early draft, she said, “I, like, kicked my feet the whole time. You’re gonna love it” . It remains to be seen how the script has evolved with the change in showrunners.
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