Amazon’sFourth Wingadaptation will enter a fantasy TV realm whereGame of Thronesis still the gold standard, but it has one advantage over HBO’s hit series. TheFourth WingTV show was confirmedjust a few months after Rebecca Yarros' book of the same name, the first in the Empyrean Series, was published in May 2023, although there hasn’t been too much movement on the series since then. It does have a showrunner - Moira Walley-Beckett (producer and writer onBreaking Bad) - but the actual production stage seems a long way off.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it will give Yarros time to finish the books (Onyx Stormwill release in 2025, but more are planned), and because it’s not a show that can be rushed given the extensive CGI involved, not least when it comes to the dragons. The dragons ofFourth Wingare one of the show’s biggest challenges, but are also what makes it so exciting, and invite favorable comparisons toGame of Thronesand its prequel,House of the Dragon.
Fourth Wing Will Have Way More Dragons Than Game Of Thrones
It Can Even Have More Than House Of The Dragon
Dragons became one of the hallmarks ofGame of Thronesthe longer it went on. They were increasingly used in the marketing of the show, becoming a crucial piece of iconography, and a lot of its later-season spectacle hinged on them as well (while they were, of course, vital to the story too). Still, the timeline meant that there were only ever three dragons on-screen, somethingHouse of the Dragon’s dragonsbeat, since it’s a time in Westeros when there were far more of them. But neither can compete withFourth Wingin that regard.
[Dragons] are fantastical, revered creatures, but there are more of them than in Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon.
Dragons are much more commonplace in Navarre, though that doesn’t mean they’re any less special. They are fantastical, revered creatures, but there are more of them than inGame of ThronesorHouse of the Dragon. Around a dozen have been seen in the latter, but there are even more named dragons with riders who have been revealed in the Empyrean Series books so far, and plenty more who are at least known to exist, even without specifics.
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Sloane Mairi
More of something doesn’t inherently mean it will be better, but it’s nonetheless impressive thatFourth Wingwill be able to be adapted and, if done right, have one of the biggest, most diverse ranges of dragons we’ve ever seen on a screen big or small. It’s a huge draw, especially given the popularity of those shows, and it could take dragons on-screen to another level if all goes well.
Fourth Wing’s Dragons Can Be Better Than Game Of Thrones
The Empyrean Series' Dragons Are Characters Too
Game of Thronesobviously had some of the most spectacular dragon scenes ever made, such as the Battle of Meereen in season 6, episode 9, “Battle of the Bastards,” or Drogon destroying the Lannister army in season 7, episode 4, “The Spoils of War.” They set a very high bar forFourth Wing, and beating them - or something likeHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” which is arguably the real high point - won’t be easy. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
However, what I think is even more important here, and what could really tip the scales in Fourth Wing’s favor, is the exploration of the dragons as something beyond weapons of mass destruction.
The dragons vs. wyvern battles ofFourth WingandIron Flameshould lend themselves well to incredible action sequences. The books include plenty of detail that aren’t just about the Riders' signets being used, but the dragons and wyvern themselves unleashing their unrivaled strength and fire-breathing abilities in furious, fantastic fashion. If the show can capture those right, thenwe’ll be seeing bigger dragon battles thanGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragonmanaged, given the sheer numbers involved.
Casting Amazon’s Fourth Wing TV Show: 15 Actors Who’d Be Perfect For Main Roles
Amazon is adapting Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing books into a TV series, and the show must get the casting for the major characters right.
However, what I think is even more important here, and what could really tip the scales inFourth Wing’s favor, is the exploration of the dragons as something beyond weapons of mass destruction. While that’s absolutely part of the point of them in A Song of Ice and Fire, it’s not just limited to that. There are strong bonds, emotional complexities, and intelligence to them that the show never really got into.
House of the Dragondoes this a little more in terms of suggesting the connection between dragon and rider (with Syrax experiencing Rhaenyra’s pain and grief the best example), but the nature ofFourth Wing’s dragonsmakes them proper characters.Game of Thronesalso didn’t do enough to distinguish between Dany’s three dragons beyond one of them being way bigger, especially as they got older and their colorings became less distinct.
They’re a great part of the lore, but dragons are among the best characters inFourth Wing(indeed,there’s a strong argument that Tairn is the best character - or certainly the funniest), and a major part of what I love about the story and worldbuilding. The way it breaks down their personalities, colors, emotions, and bonds is great, and though it’s admittedly a bit apples and oranges in terms of direct comparison, it can be so much deeper in terms of putting dragons on screen, with stunning action scenes to boot.
Fourth Wing’s Dragons Have One Massive Problem In Beating Game Of Thrones
The Show Is Going To Need A Huge Budget
While the potential ofFourth Wing’s dragons is great, there is one not-so-small hiccup in terms of that becoming a reality: dragons are really f**king expensive.Game of Thronesseason 8had a per episode budget of around $15 million;House of the Dragon’s is in the $20m region. That’s not all going on dragons, but it shows the kind of investment required to bring them to the screen, andFourth Wingneeds to be in that ballpark at the very least, if not even greater, since there are so many of them, and they’re so integral to so many scenes.
Amazon’s Fourth Wing Adaptation Has 1 Huge Problem Game Of Thrones Never Did
The TV show Fourth Wing faces a major challenge that Game of Thrones never had with one of the main CGI elements, which could hurt the adaptation.
Amazon does have very deep pockets, as evidenced byLord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerbeing one of the most expensive TV shows ever made. Money alone doesn’t guarantee quality CGI (proper time and planning for VFX artists is as big a factor as anything), but it certainly helps. WithFourth Wingin development, hopefully it will have the time and budget it needs to do its dragons justice, and if so, it could definitely rivalGame of Thronesin that specific way, and perhaps even beat it.
Fourth Wing
Based on the novel series by Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing is an action-adventure fantasy series in development for Prime Video. Announced in 2024, Fourth Wing will follow the adventures of a young woman named Violet Sorrengail, who has been taken from her peaceful book-reading life and thrust into a world of danger when she is forced by her mother to join an elite group of dragon-riding warriors.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
