New Fourth Wing-esque Fantasy Adaptation Gets Exciting Update From Popular YA Author

Published Aug 23, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 10 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Another fantasy novel is getting the Fourth Wing treatment. Rebecca Yarros created Fourth Wing as part of The Empyrean Series, and it has become a popular fantasy romance saga. Amazon MGM Studios has announced it will adapt the popular novel into a television series, following a recent trend of viral books being adapted for the screen. Now, another adaptation is in the works for a popular "Romantasy" novel series, and this time it will be transformed into a movie. Alex Aster, author of the Lightlark Saga, spoke with Variety about her recent novel Barbie Dreamscape and gave some insight into the upcoming movie adaptation for her YA fantasy series. Aster spoke of fan casting beginning for the upcoming movie and confirmed her involvement in the Lightlark movie adaptation from Universal Pictures and Temple Hill. The author confirms that she has been taking fan-casting seriously and will always consider her fans, including comments surrounding the new movie: "I’m definitely fully, totally focused on writing books, so I do not have plans on self-adapting. There are amazing screenwriters who are working on the scripts. I’ve read the ‘Lightlark’ script; it’s really good. So they are so good at what they do, and I’m involved as an executive producer. I’m really lucky that these studios and producers value my feedback, and I think they understand how important readers are. And I’m lucky enough to have a good connection with my readers. So I’ve been really happy so far, but I think it’s either one way or the other: either I focus fully on the books or fully on the scripts or adaptation, and I’ve chosen the books for now. But everything’s really good and all you can ask for is that people love the work as much as you and your readers do, and they’re so talented, and they’ve done such a good job. So I’m really happy at this point with everything." Aster continues to write and provided an update for her Starside novels, including Stormside, which was delayed until 2027. "I am done with ‘Stormside,’ the second ‘Starside’ book. It’s the longest book I’ve ever written. It’s over 1,000 pages on my laptop. It has taken years off my life span. But every book is a new challenge," stated the author. However, it's unclear when the Lightlark movie will be released. The team producing the upcoming movie is behind the beloved Twilight film franchise. Lightlark's adaptation has yet to confirm an official cast, but Aster's update has given hope that more announcements are imminent, given that the script is "really good" and clearly heading towards the production officially beginning. At the time of writing, Amazon has yet to announce the cast or release date for the Fourth Wing adaptation, as fans begin speculating on who could portray the iconic characters. With Aster keeping close tabs on fan requests, it could mean that fans can get their wish. Network Prime Video Showrunner Meredith Averill Directors Lisa Joy Creator(s) Meredith Averill, Rebecca Yarros