Rebecca Yarros' bestselling novel Fourth Wing is being adapted into a television series by Amazon MGM Studios, with Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya cast in the lead roles. The series will stream exclusively on Prime Video and is being developed by The Haunting of Hill House showrunner Meredith Averill. Announced in May 2026, the project received an official series order, with its two central characters cast in October. While fans now know who will play Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, the makers have yet to announce a premiere date.
The fantasy drama is based on the first book in Yarros' five-part The Empyrean series. It follows 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who originally plans to join the Scribe Quadrant at Basgiath War College and pursue a life surrounded by books. However, her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, orders her to enter the Riders Quadrant instead, where candidates undergo dangerous training to become dragon riders for the kingdom of Navarre.
Violet must compete against hundreds of physically stronger candidates, many of whom see her as an easy target. The training involves deadly challenges, and students must prove themselves worthy of bonding with dragons. At Basgiath, she also encounters Xaden Riorson, a powerful and enigmatic rider whose family history is closely connected to hers. Their relationship begins with hostility but gradually develops into a romance as they face the dangers surrounding the war college and uncover secrets about their kingdom.
Esther McGregor has been cast as the central character, Violet Sorrengail. The British actor is known for her appearance in Prime Video's adaptation of We Were Liars, based on E. Lockhart's novel. She has also appeared in films including Babygirl and The Room Next Door. McGregor is the daughter of actor Ewan McGregor. Her casting follows a worldwide search for an actor who could portray Violet, a character whose intelligence, determination and physical vulnerability are central to the story. She will lead the series as the young woman forced to navigate the dangerous world of dragon-rider training.
Emilio Sakraya will play Xaden Riorson, the mysterious and formidable dragon rider who becomes Violet's rival and eventual romantic interest. The German actor has appeared in Netflix's fantasy series Warrior Nun and the historical drama Those About to Die. His other screen credits include Sixty Minutes and Tribes of Europa. Xaden is an important figure at Basgiath War College, with a complicated family history and a connection to Violet's mother. His relationship with Violet forms one of the central storylines of the books, combining romantic tension with the political and military conflicts surrounding Navarre.
Meredith Averill, known for working on The Haunting of Hill House and Locke & Key, is serving as the series' showrunner and an executive producer. Author Rebecca Yarros is also attached as an executive producer, allowing her to remain involved in the television adaptation of her novels.
Lisa Joy, co-creator of Westworld and co-founder of Kilter Films, will direct the pilot episode. She will also executive produce alongside Jonathan Nolan and Athena Wickham. Michael B. Jordan and Elizabeth Raposo will executive produce through Outlier Society, while Liz Pelletier and Sherryl Clark are attached through Premeditated Productions. Amazon MGM Studios and the production companies are developing the adaptation.
The Fourth Wing television adaptation received its official series order on May 11, 2026, during Amazon's annual upfront presentation. The lead casting announcement followed in October 2026, when Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya were confirmed for the roles of Violet and Xaden. The series will be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries once it premieres. It will not have a separate theatrical release, and viewers will need access to Prime Video to stream it.
The adaptation is expected to draw from the wider The Empyrean book series, which currently includes Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm. However, the makers have not yet confirmed how many seasons the television adaptation will run for or how the subsequent books will be incorporated.
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