Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing — Amazon’s Next Big Fantasy Bet After The Wheel of Time
Amazon Prime Video may have bid farewell to The Wheel of Time, but it isn’t stepping back from epic fantasy. Its next big fantasy venture is shaping up to be Fourth Wing, an upcoming series adapted from Rebecca Yarros’s massively popular novel of the same name. Fourth Wing is not a traditional high fantasy in the vein of Robert Jordan’s classic — instead, it’s a fast-rising star of the “romantasy” subgenre (romance-fantasy) that has taken social media by storm. The project has fantasy fans buzzing: Can this dragon-filled saga, born from TikTok fame and beloved by millions, live up to its hype on screen? In this article, we take a spoiler-free look at the Fourth Wing phenomenon — the book’s story and soaring reception — and what we know about Amazon’s planned adaptation.
A New Dragon-Filled Saga in the Empyrean Series
Fourth Wing is the first novel in Yarros’s Empyrean series, a five-book fantasy saga set in a world where courageous riders bond with dragons and train for battle. The story centers on Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old student forced by her iron-willed mother (a commanding general) to enter the elite Basgiath War College and become a dragon rider — even though Violet had trained all her life to be a quiet scribe. Thrust into a perilous academy where survival is far from guaranteed, Violet must prove herself quickly: the War College’s motto might as well be “fly or die,” as aspiring riders face lethal trials, deadly competitions, and the constant threat of being killed by rival classmates or even by the dragons they seek to partner with. It doesn’t help that one of the most powerful upperclassmen in the riders’ quadrant is Xaden Riorson — a brooding, feared wing leader who not only poses a deadly challenge, but also shares an inexplicable, fiery chemistry with Violet. As Violet navigates harrowing training missions and complex rivalries, she finds unexpected allies, dangerous enemies, and a simmering romance amid the flames. The book expertly blends epic fantasy adventure with steamy romance tropes, set against a collegiate “dragonrider school” backdrop that one reviewer praised for its “sexy, dark academia aesthetic”. By the end of the first novel (the first of a planned five), it’s clear Violet’s trials are just the beginning of a much larger conflict — one that will unfold in subsequent sequels without spoiling anything here.
From BookTok Obsession to Bestseller Lists
Upon its May 2023 release, Fourth Wing quickly became one of the most explosive fantasy debuts in recent memory. Reader enthusiasm propelled the novel to instant bestseller status and an enduring spot in the cultural zeitgeist. Yarros’s tale of dragons and romance turned into a full-fledged BookTok sensation, with the hashtags #FourthWing and #RebeccaYarros garnering over one billion views on TikTok as readers gushed about plot twists, character chemistry, and emotional moments. This viral word-of-mouth had real-world effects: Fourth Wing shot to #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list and claimed the #1 position on The New York Times Best Sellers list, where it stayed for 18 weeks straight. Even many months after release, the book hasn’t lost momentum — it’s remained on the NYT Best Sellers list every single week since its debut, a testament to its enduring hype and broad appeal.
Critics and industry watchers note that Fourth Wing isn’t just riding the romantasy wave — it’s one of the books steering it. The novel’s “unstoppable” popularity has “surfed an atmospheric river of BookTok support straight to the bestseller stratosphere,” building a massive fandom of devoted readers and helping popularize the very term “romantasy” for this romance-fantasy hybrid genre. In 2023, Goodreads even introduced a new “Best Romantasy” category in its annual Choice Awards, which Fourth Wing promptly won by a landslide. The book garnered nearly 400,000 votes from readers — an eye-popping number that dwarfed the runner-up’s 33,000 votes — reflecting just how fervent its fanbase had become. Such accolades came on top of a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly, which praised Yarros’s worldbuilding, characters, and adventurous romance, and a positive review in Paste magazine applauding how the novel refreshes familiar fantasy tropes in a gratifying way. By year’s end, Fourth Wing was not only a fixture on bestseller lists but also one of the most borrowed books in libraries across the U.S., reaching readers well outside the online bubble.
All this enthusiasm is even more impressive considering Fourth Wing is Yarros’s first foray into fantasy. (She had previously authored contemporary romances.) With Fourth Wing, her pivot to fantastical fiction clearly struck gold. The book’s success has been commercially staggering: it has sold millions of copies worldwide (reportedly over 2 million within the first six months) and has been translated into dozens of languages. It even won “International Book of the Year” at the TikTok Book Awards — a fitting honor given how much the TikTok community contributed to its fame.
Despite the frenzy, it’s worth noting that Fourth Wing is targeted at older teens and adults — it’s classified as “new adult” fantasy. The story does include spicy romance, intense violence, and modern profanity, elements that make it less appropriate for younger YA readers. (In fact, Yarros drew from some of her own life experiences — such as living with a chronic illness — to shape Violet’s character, adding a layer of realistic grit to the narrative.) For the vast majority of its audience, however, these mature elements are part of the appeal. Fans have embraced Fourth Wing’s blend of beloved tropes — from enemies-to-lovers tension to dragon-riding trials — delivered with fresh energy and a fast-paced, addictive plot. As one library reviewer summed up, the novel is a sure bet to attract “romantasy fans,” offering exactly the kind of high-stakes fantasy escapism with swoon-worthy romance that keeps readers turning pages late into the night.
With such an ardent following behind it, Fourth Wing was practically destined for a screen adaptation. Readers immediately began fancasting their favorite actors for Violet, Xaden, and the rest of the charismatic cast of characters. It was only a matter of time before Hollywood took notice of the dragonfire lighting up the book community.
After Wheel of Time: Amazon’s New Fantasy Strategy
Amazon’s decision to pick up Fourth Wing comes at a pivotal time for the streamer’s fantasy portfolio. Fans of The Wheel of Time were disheartened when Amazon canceled the series after three seasons, despite its improving reviews and growing cult following. Citing high production costs and lukewarm overall viewership, Amazon ended The Wheel of Time’s run just as it hit its stride — leaving a void in the lineup for epic fantasy content. Rather than immediately greenlighting another traditional high-fantasy saga to replace it, Amazon appears to be pivoting to fresher takes on the genre. Fourth Wing represents this new approach: a modern fantasy hit with a built-in passionate fanbase, a heavy dose of romance, and serious social media buzz. It’s a very different flavor from the expansive, Tolkien-esque world of Wheel of Time, but that might be by design. As one commentary noted, fantasy of the 21st century is embracing “a variety of fresh perspectives, with YA and romance fantasy spreading like wildfire on TikTok” — a trend Amazon is keen to capitalize on. In other words, Fourth Wing isn’t meant to be a one-to-one replacement for Wheel of Time’s brand of fantasy; instead, it’s betting on a new audience and vibe, riding the current wave of ACOTAR-style romantasy fervor that’s sweeping pop culture.
Bringing Fourth Wing from Page to Screen
So, what do we know about Amazon’s adaptation of Fourth Wing so far? Prime Video officially announced the project in October 2023, revealing that it had nabbed the rights to the entire Empyrean book series (planned to span five novels) and was developing Fourth Wing as a TV show. This announcement came just months after the book’s release, indicating how quickly Amazon moved in the wake of the novel’s breakout success. Notably, the adaptation is being produced in partnership with actor Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society production company — the same team behind hits like Creed III. In her Instagram post confirming the news, author Rebecca Yarros gushed that she was “humbled and thrilled” to see Fourth Wing in development with Amazon Studios and Outlier Society, calling them an “incredible team” and expressing full faith in their vision. Yarros herself will serve as an executive producer on the series, a reassuring sign for book fans hoping for a faithful adaptation.
Since that initial announcement, progress has been steadily (if quietly) underway. By mid-2024, Outlier Society shared a major update: Moira Walley-Beckett was hired as the showrunner for Fourth Wing. Walley-Beckett is a high-profile get — she’s a three-time Emmy-winning writer/producer known for her work on Breaking Bad and for creating the series Anne with an E. In other words, the show is in very experienced hands. Yarros has voiced enormous excitement about Walley-Beckett’s involvement, praising her as “brilliant” and saying the adaptation “is in the BEST hands” with a showrunner who deeply understands the material. According to Amazon’s updates, Walley-Beckett will executive produce alongside Yarros, Michael B. Jordan, Outlier Society’s president Elizabeth Raposo, as well as industry veterans Liz Pelletier (Yarros’s publisher at Entangled) and producer Stefano Agosto. This blend of Hollywood talent and the author’s team suggests a collaborative approach aiming to preserve the “spirit” of the books.
As of now (mid-2025), no cast or release date has been announced for Fourth Wing. The series is still in early development and writing stages, so fans likely have a bit of a wait before seeing Basgiath’s dragons take flight on screen. That hasn’t stopped rampant speculation about casting — the internet is flooded with fan-casting picks for Violet and Xaden. One thing is confirmed: Xaden Riorson will be portrayed by a person of color, staying true to the books. Yarros and the producers have been emphatic on this point, especially after some online fan art depicted Xaden with lighter features than described. The author made it clear she is “staunch against white-washing Xaden” and insisted the role remain open to diverse casting. This commitment to authenticity in representation has only increased readers’ confidence in the adaptation.
Behind the scenes, scripts are already taking shape. Rebecca Yarros has been given sneak peeks at the early scripts, and her response has been nothing short of enthusiastic. At a book event in early 2025, Yarros told fans she had read the latest pilot script and “kicked [her] feet the entire time” out of pure excitement. Initially nervous about handing her “baby” over to someone else’s pen, Yarros was relieved and overjoyed to find the show’s screenplay captured all the beloved lines, character voices, and the “energy and spirit” of the novel. “I could not be any happier — it’s amazing,” she exclaimed, effectively giving the adaptation her stamp of approval. Of course, it’s one thing to satisfy the author, and another to impress a global TV audience — but hearing Yarros rave about the script has certainly amped up fan anticipation.
Looking ahead, the big question is when we’ll get to see Fourth Wing on Prime Video. The production timeline remains unclear, especially given industry slowdowns in recent years, but insiders caution that it may be a while. Developing a fantasy series of this scope — with dragons, complex settings, and (presumably) plenty of VFX — is no small undertaking, and Amazon seems willing to take the time to get it right. As of spring 2025, industry watchers guessed that the show was still a year or more away from release. That said, updates could come at any time, and with three books (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm) now published (and two more to come), the creative team has ample source material to draw from. If all goes well, Amazon won’t just have a single hit, but potentially a multi-season franchise to follow in the footsteps of the Empyrean saga’s five-book arc.
A Bright Future for Fantasy — in a New Form
In the wake of The Wheel of Time’s end, Amazon’s commitment to Fourth Wing signals that the company isn’t abandoning fantasy — it’s evolving its approach. Rather than chasing the next Game of Thrones clone, Prime Video is tapping into a new generation of fantasy enthusiasts who crave magical worlds plus swoon-worthy romance. It’s a strategic gamble that could pay off handsomely. Fourth Wing comes to the screen with several advantages: a built-in fanbase that’s already hyped, an author involved to safeguard the adaptation’s integrity, and a timely genre appeal that hits the sweet spot of current trends. If the show succeeds, it could validate Hollywood’s faith in this so-called “YA/romance fantasy” wave — encouraging studios to invest in other epic sagas waiting in the wings. And even for viewers who prefer classic high fantasy, a hit like Fourth Wing might indirectly be good news: success in any fantasy subgenre keeps the genre alive and thriving, paving the way for more adaptations down the road.
For now, readers and prospective viewers alike will have to exercise a little patience (and perhaps re-read Fourth Wing or dive into its sequels) as the show progresses through development. One thing is certain: fantasy is far from dead at Amazon. With dragons on the horizon and romance in the air, Fourth Wing could very well be Prime Video’s next obsession. After the end of The Wheel of Time, the future of Amazon’s fantasy is taking flight on “dragonback” — and fans are eagerly waiting to soar with it.