The 2023 fantasy novel Fourth Wing is already getting an adaptation, and there are a ton of exciting details about the TV series from Amazon Prime Video. Based on the book by Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing kicks off the planned Empyrean series and follows Violet Sorrengail, the daughter of a powerful general who is sent to Basgiath War College to become a dragon rider. Melding elements of romance and fantasy, it's little surprise that the book became an instant smash. Furthermore, its inclusion of a heroic main character with chronic illnesses is a big step for representation in fantasy literature.

Taking the world by storm, the novel was an immediate sensation due to its popularity in BookTok circles on the social media platform TikTok. Though the debut novel, Fourth Wing, was only published in May 2023, a sequel was rushed into print in November of the same year. The continued popularity of Iron Flame (book 2) proves Amazon's gamble was a smart one, and the streaming giant is hoping to deliver a TV adaptation before the planned five-book series is even completed. With that in mind, things are already moving forward on the Fourth Wing show.

The Fourth Wing TV Show Latest News

Rebecca Yarros Gives A Script Update

After many months without any hints about the show's development, the latest news comes in the form of a Fourth Wing script update from author Rebecca Yarros. The Fourth Wing scribe spoke candidly about the first few drafts of the scripts, and she expressed her excitement for the show's development. Though she didn't reveal much about the timeline of the show's production, Yarros gave the scripts her emphatic endorsement, saying "I love it." Yarros' comments were captured in a TikTok by sabteenwitxh which can be viewed below.

Yarros said:

So I've read two versions of the script now and it is... Oh my God. And I was scared, I was super scared to read it, because I think when you hand somebody your baby and you say, "Tell me what you think is important in here," you're kind of like, "It's all important," and I kicked my feet the entire time. I love it. [Moira Walley-Beckett is] amazing. Moira's done such an amazing job capturing everyone's voice and the dialogue that you guys love and just the energy and spirit of the book that I am ... I could not be any happier. It's amazing.

The Fourth Wing TV Show Is Confirmed

Amazon Announced The Development In October 2023

Weeks before the November 2023 release of Yarros' second novel, Iron Flame, Amazon Prime Video announced that a TV show adaptation of the Empyrean series was in development. The studio secured the rights for both Fourth Wing and its immediate follow-up, and it's assumed that book 3 (Onyx Storm) will also get snatched up as well. Yarros is attached as a non-writing executive producer on the project, and she's ed by Liz Pelletier for Entangled Publishing.

Onxy Storm was released on January 21, 2025.

Actor Michael B. Jordan is peripherally attached to the project through Outlier Society, his production company, which is helping to usher the novel to the small screen. Besides the production end of things, Fourth Wing has hired seasoned industry vet Moira Walley-Beckett to serve as the showrunner. Walley-Beckett is no stranger to must-see-TV, and she scored three Emmys for her writing on Breaking Bad.

A list of names attached to Fourth Wing includes:

The Fourth Wing TV Show Story Details

How Faithful Will The Adaptation Be?

a TV show is an excellent way to flesh out Violet's relationships while also delivering interesting high fantasy.

Since Amazon Prime Video has been rather tight-lipped about their approach to Fourth Wing, it's unclear what will be changed when they adapt the book. With Yarros not serving as a writer, it's entirely possible that new writers will make some necessary changes to accommodate an episodic show. However, even if small details are altered, the basic structure of the novel will likely be left intact, especially since it was so popular with readers to begin with.

Violet Sorrengail is introduced as the daughter of a powerful general who is forced to the elite dragon riders program at Basgiath War College. The program requires candidates to go through a series of deadly physical challenges, all so that they may telepathically link with a dragon, and gain a power from that bond. Meanwhile, many of her squad mates are out for her blood since they are the descendants of rebels who were put down by Violet's mother and rendered second-class citizens.

With such a complicated universe to pull from, the show can take its time when adapting Fourth Wing, and doesn't necessarily need to tackle the entire first novel in a season. The academic setting allows for the exploration of various ing characters, and can actually craft a story that is even larger than the books. The romantasy genre is perfectly exemplified by Fourth Wing, and a TV show is an excellent way to flesh out Violet's relationships while also delivering interesting high fantasy.