Prime Video’s Folk of the Air Could Be the Perfect Fantasy Series for Fourth Wing and Shadow and Bone Fans
Romantasy is having a major moment on television, and Prime Video’s upcoming adaptation of Holly Black’s Folk of the Air could land at the sweet spot between two of the genre’s biggest titles: Fourth Wing and Shadow and Bone.
The popularity of romantasy has made the book world an increasingly important source for Hollywood. Online communities such as BookTube and BookTok have become useful indicators of which stories audiences are eager to see adapted, and fantasy romances have become particularly attractive.
Several major romantasy properties have already reached television. Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, despite ending after two seasons, remains one of the genre’s strongest screen adaptations. Meanwhile, Fourth Wing is generating significant anticipation as a high-stakes fantasy series featuring dragons, with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society attached to produce it.
Now, Folk of the Air is entering the conversation. Based on Holly Black’s bestselling YA series, the Prime Video project combines many of the elements that make Fourth Wing and Shadow and Bone appealing while offering a distinctly faerie-centered world of its own.
Folk of the Air Is One of Several Major Fantasy Adaptations in Development
Folk of the Air is part of a growing wave of fantasy adaptations headed for television and film.
Romantasy is certainly a major part of that trend, but it is far from the only type of fantasy being adapted. Disney+ is developing Eragon, while Apple TV has acquired Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere works, potentially leading to a Mistborn movie and a Stormlight Archive television series. Dragon-focused adaptations are also gaining attention, with Fourth Wing and Wings of Fire among the projects in development.
What makes Folk of the Air particularly distinctive is its focus on faeries.
The story follows Jude Duarte, a human girl who is taken into the magical realm of Elfhame. There, she must learn how to survive among dangerous supernatural beings while becoming entangled with Prince Cardan, a cruel and manipulative member of the faerie royal family.
The core book series includes three main novels:
| Book | Year |
|---|---|
| The Cruel Prince | 2018 |
| The Lost Sisters | 2018 |
| The Wicked King | 2019 |
| The Queen of Nothing | 2019 |
The series also has the companion book How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, published in 2020.
There is still relatively little information available about the television adaptation, but one major detail should reassure longtime readers: Holly Black is attached as an executive producer.
Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions is also involved, while Amazon MGM Studios will produce the series alongside Fourth Wing.
Why Folk of the Air Fits Alongside Fourth Wing
At first, Folk of the Air and Fourth Wing may seem like very different fantasy stories. Their worlds and supernatural elements are distinct, but the two adaptations share several qualities that could make them natural companions for viewers.
Both are rooted in high fantasy and feature determined young women attempting to survive dangerous environments.
Violet in Fourth Wing was born into the world she must navigate, whereas Jude begins as a mortal who has been taken into the Faerie realm. That difference gives Folk of the Air a distinct perspective, but both heroines face hostile surroundings where they have to learn quickly and find ways to protect themselves and the people they care about.
Romance is another major connection.
The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is central to both stories, although the relationships unfold in very different settings. Fourth Wing has its dragons and military environment, while Folk of the Air places its characters amid the dangerous politics of Elfhame.
That combination could make the Prime Video series especially appealing to viewers already looking for another fantasy romance after Fourth Wing.
Shadow and Bone May Be an Even Closer Comparison
The similarities between Folk of the Air and Shadow and Bone go beyond romance.
Political maneuvering plays a much larger role in Folk of the Air, creating another strong connection to the Netflix series. Jude is pulled deeper into a world of power struggles and court politics as her relationship with Cardan develops.
Cardan also shares some qualities with the Darkling from Shadow and Bone. Both are cruel, manipulative figures whose relationships with the central heroine become increasingly complicated over time.
The comparison is not as straightforward with Xaden from Fourth Wing. Although Xaden is sometimes described as morally gray, he does not occupy quite the same space as Cardan or the Darkling.
Alina Starkov and Jude also have something important in common: both feel a strong responsibility toward the people they love and are willing to put themselves in difficult situations to protect them.
There is also a difference in tone that could make Folk of the Air appealing to a somewhat broader audience. Like Shadow and Bone, the story contains little to no spice, unlike some of the more adult-oriented romantasy currently becoming popular.
Still, these similarities do not mean Folk of the Air will simply imitate either series. Its faerie mythology and the world of Elfhame give it an identity that is separate from both the Grishaverse of Shadow and Bone and the setting of Fourth Wing.
Ridley Scott Could Bring a Distinctive Fantasy Style
Ridley Scott may initially seem like an unexpected choice for Folk of the Air. Much of his career has been associated with science fiction and historical films rather than traditional fantasy.
However, he has already demonstrated an ability to create visually ambitious fantasy worlds.
His television series Raised by Wolves occupies a space closer to sci-fi fantasy than conventional science fiction. The series incorporates ancient prophecies and monsters, while its detailed worldbuilding and high production values give it an unusually artistic quality.
Scott also directed Legend, the 1985 fantasy film that has since become a cult classic.
Legend is particularly relevant when considering what Scott could bring to Folk of the Air. The film is known for its striking imagery and distinctive visual identity, with its cinematography and production design contributing heavily to its fantastical atmosphere. Its visual choices feel deliberate and carefully constructed rather than incidental.
Those qualities could translate well to the world of Elfhame.
Some fans have expressed interest in seeing Folk of the Air adapted as an animated series, but Ridley Scott’s involvement makes that possibility unlikely. He has never directed or produced an animated film or television series.
Instead, his previous work suggests that the live-action adaptation could put considerable emphasis on atmosphere, visual storytelling and worldbuilding.
With Raised by Wolves and Legend already demonstrating Scott’s experience with imaginative fantasy worlds, his involvement gives Folk of the Air an intriguing advantage. If the adaptation can preserve the elements that made Holly Black’s books popular while taking full advantage of Scott’s visual sensibilities, Prime Video could have another major fantasy series on its hands.