Amazon Prime's 'Fourth Wing': All You Need to Know

The Rise of a New Fantasy Series: Fourth Wing on Prime Video

Prime Video is set to introduce a new fantasy series that promises to captivate fans of epic storytelling. On May 11, 2026, the streaming platform announced plans to adapt Rebecca Yarros' bestselling fantasy novel, Fourth Wing, into a TV series. This novel, published in May 2023, follows the journey of Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old who comes of age when her mother sends her to the Basgiath War College to become a competitive dragon rider for the kingdom of Navarre.

The series is expected to appeal to fans of Game of Thrones and its spin-offs, with its intense quests and cutthroat competition among dragon riders. Perhaps most exciting is the involvement of recent Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan as an executive producer, alongside the creative team behind HBO's Westworld and Prime's Fallout. These elements are sure to generate excitement for the upcoming fantasy series.

A Confirmed Project with Big Names

Written by Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing is the first book in the author’s Empyrean trilogy. The story centers on Violet Sorrengail, a young woman thrust into grueling competition by her mother, vying to become the mightiest dragon rider in the Navarre Kingdom. Five months after the novel was published, Amazon MGM Studios announced plans to adapt Fourth Wing as a TV series. At the time, Michael B. Jordan and his production company, Outlier Society, were also attached to the project.

As the production developed, Yarros and Liz Pelletier were announced as executive producers, with Moira Walley-Beckett (Breaking Bad) tapped as the showrunner. However, a year later, Walley-Beckett exited the project. Although Jac Schaeffer (WandaVision) was briefly considered as a replacement, Meredith Averill (Wednesday, Locke & Key) has been hired as Fourth Wing’s showrunner. Averill also wrote the adaptation.

In May 2026, Jordan announced at the Amazon Upfront event that Fourth Wing is taking flight. In addition to Amazon and Outlier Society, the series will be produced by Premeditated Productions and Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan through their production shingle Kilter Films. Joy and Nolan have experience with the hit video game adaptation Fallout and previously served as executive producers on HBO's sci-fi thriller series Westworld. According to Deadline, Joy will direct the first episode of Fourth Wing.

A Story That Balances Familiarity and Freshness

Fourth Wing tells the remarkable coming-of-age story of Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old thrust into the brutality of war. Forced by her mother, General Lillith Sorrengail, Violet joins the punishing Basgiath War College and vies to become the most skilled dragon rider among thousands of competitors.

Despite being raised her entire life to enter the Scribe Quadrant, one of the four elite academic strata, Violet must learn a new talent and use her powers to defeat the formidable Xaden Riorson. The task is made more difficult by Violet's compromised physical strength. She bonds with two dragons: the black morningstar-tailed Tairn, and the gold, feather-tailed Andarna.

What may seem like a derivative novel premise at first glance is told with a refreshing personal inspiration by Yarros. In addition to being inspired by her affinity for dragon lore and her husband's real-life military experience, Yarros based Violet's fragile nature on her own experience living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Between the personal struggles and the familiar tropes, it's easy to see why Fourth Wing became a well-reviewed bestseller and viral hit on BookTok.

Supporting Characters and Their Roles

Beyond Violet and Xaden, additional characters include Violet's childhood friend and Fourth Wing squad leader Dain Aetos, Violet's new best friend and first-year rider Rhiannon Matthias, first-year flunkee and Violet's history tutee Sawyer Henrick, friendly comic relief Ridoc Gamlyn, and Xaden's childhood friend Liam Mairi.

Who Will Star in Fourth Wing?

Although no casting information has been divulged at this time, Rebecca Yarros has publicly stated that Xaden Riorson will be played by a person of color. While introduced as a fierce rival who cannot be bested, Xaden and Violet spark a torrid romance in the popular fantasy romance novel in a storyline that will surely be adapted to the TV series. Xaden is described as dashing and handsome, and is bonded to the blue dagger-tail dragon Sgaeyl.

While nothing is definitive at this time, Anglo-Sri-Lankan actor Josh Heuston (Heartbreak High, Dune: Prophecy) has emerged as a fan-favorite option to portray Xaden. Of course, no matter who is cast as Xaden, the show will live and die with the casting of Violet as the embattled protagonist. Fans have bandied such names as Hannah Dodd (Enola Holmes 2), Mackenzie Foy (Black Beauty), and Danielle Rose Russell (Legacies), but it's all mere conjecture at this juncture.

When Will Fourth Wing Be Released?

With production just now ramping up, there's no telling precisely when Fourth Wing will premiere on Prime Video. The earliest projections mark 2028 as the soonest timeframe for the series. Yet, with Meredith Averill adapting the text and serving as showrunner, fans of her work on Mike Flanagan's The Haunting of Hill House, Star-Crossed, Locke & Key, Wednesday, and others should feel confident that Fourth Wing will stay true to the spirit of Yarros' book.

According to Averill:

"Rebecca’s books have become one of the fastest-selling franchises of the 21st century, with a fandom so passionate, so devoted, they don’t just read these books, they live in them, and it’s because Fourth Wing is everything at once. The emotional stakes are sky-high, the battles are epic, power dynamics are thrilling, and underneath it is so much humor and heart and a romance that will consume you."

Far from a one-off venture, Averill and company plan to adapt each one of Yarros' novels in the Empyrean series in successive seasons. With Michael B. Jordan, Lisa Joy, and Jonathan Nolan also steering the project, Fourth Wing is beginning to take off at Amazon MGM and is sure to give House of the Dragon a run for its money.