The BookTok sensation Fourth wing will take flight in a television adaptation thanks to Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.
Deadline reported that the deal to adapt the first novel in Rebecca Yarros’s The Empyrean series was negotiated before the Writers Guild of America strike and was the subject of a heated bidding war. This news will come as no surprise to readers on social media, as the fantastic title has had BookTok in a vice-like grip since its release in April. The book’s evangelical word-of-mouth campaign translated into Fourth wing spending thirteen weeks in the issue on the New York Times bestseller list.
Related: Best Fantasy Books Coming in November 2023
Although the planned television adaptation will only address the events of Fourth wing, the success could lead to subsequent series in the Empyrean saga. In addition to Fourth wingAmazon MGM Studios has also secured the rights to Yarros’ upcoming sequel, Iron Flame. According to Yarros, the Empyrean series will span five novels, with the highly anticipated second installment arriving on November 7, 2023. As with previous thrill books such as Harry Potter And Duskthe hype around Iron Flame has revitalized the midnight bookstore release model, with many stores hosting events on November 7 for Yarros readers.
Fourth wings tells the story of 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail as she balances her planned life as a scholar with her mother’s course correction in the exponentially more brutal reality of the Rider Quadrant of Basgaith War College. The novel capitalizes on beloved trends such as fantasy academia and enemies to lovers, making it popular with fans of big fantasy romance hits such as Sarah J. Maas’s. A court of thorns and roses series. The central role of dragons in Yarros’ series will likely also pique the interest of readers who grew up with Christopher Paolini. Eragon series or that of Anne McCaffery The Dragon Riders of Pern.
Fourth wing marks Yarros’ first stint in television production, as she will serve as executive producer of the series alongside Liz Pelletier. The Empyrean series is far from the only popular contemporary fantasy series to receive a streaming adaptation with Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse explored in the Netflix film. Shadow and bones at Netflix and the aforementioned Maas A Courtship of Thorns and Rosescurrently in development at Hulu.
