Netflix is venturing into the world of fantasy romance with its upcoming adaptation of Callie Hart’s Quicksilver novels. But even before hitting the screen, the series faces stiff competition from two Prime Video projects exploring the same rising “romantasy” subgenre. Originally published in 2024, Quicksilver follows Saeris Fane, a heroine forced to ally with a mysterious Fae warrior as she searches for a way back home. The novel quickly became a viral sensation on TikTok, generating over 3 million views through fan-driven content and discussion.
Though Quicksilver is just the first installment in a larger series, the battle to secure its screen rights sparked intense competition across the film and television industry. With ten contenders vying for the project, Netflix ultimately clinched the deal in late 2024, offering a seven-figure sum for the adaptation rights. Elizabeth Cantillon will serve as executive producer, with The Cantillon Company leading production. While the size of the deal signals Netflix’s confidence in Quicksilver becoming the next breakout literary adaptation, Prime Video is already moving swiftly to tap into the same wave of viral romantasy hits.
Netflix’s Quicksilver Series Faces Two Major Rivals from Prime Video
Before Netflix secured the rights to Quicksilver, Prime Video had already made a bold move into the romantasy space by acquiring Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series. The adaptation will kick off with Fourth Wing, the breakout 2023 novel that follows Violet Sorrengail, a reluctant dragon rider thrust into the elite ranks of Navarre’s airborne defenders by her commanding mother. As Violet struggles to survive and prove herself among fiercely competitive peers, the series promises high-stakes drama and fantasy spectacle. Amazon MGM Studios picked up the rights in 2023 and is developing the show in partnership with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.
Building on its commitment to the romantasy genre, Prime Video acquired the rights to Lauren Roberts’ Powerless trilogy in June 2025. Set in a world sharply divided between the powerful Elites and the oppressed Ordinarys, the story follows Paedyn Gray, a cunning young thief who is thrust into a brutal competition after unknowingly saving the life of a prince. Much like Fourth Wing, Powerless is being developed as a television series, with Dark’s Daphne Ferraro attached to lead the production.
Prime Video Gains Ground in the Romantasy Genre with Fourth Wing and Powerless
While Prime Video has long been a player in the fantasy space with titles like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, My Lady Jane, and The Wheel of Time, its recent acquisitions of Fourth Wing and Powerless signal a more focused dive into a niche subgenre: romantasy. Blending sweeping fantasy settings with central, emotionally driven romances, romantasy stories—like those in Fourth Wing and Powerless—offer a fresh narrative blend that has been largely underrepresented on screen. Although shows like Outlander have dabbled in the genre, few streaming platforms have embraced it fully, positioning Prime Video as an early leader in bringing romantasy to mainstream television.
Fourth Wing and Powerless Just Scored Another Win Against Netflix’s Quicksilver
While securing the rights to Fourth Wing and Powerless has positioned Prime Video as the most heavily invested streamer in the romantasy space, these adaptations offer another strategic edge over Netflix’s upcoming Quicksilver series. Unlike Quicksilver, which is the most recently published and least established of the three, both Powerless and the Empyrean series have a stronger literary foundation. The Powerless trilogy is already complete, and Empyrean’s third installment has just been released, with two more books to come. Meanwhile, Quicksilver’s follow-up novel, Brimstone, isn’t expected until fall 2025—raising the possibility that Netflix’s adaptation could outpace the source material, a common challenge in adapting ongoing series.
Of course, while Fourth Wing and Powerless give Prime Video a notable edge, both series—like Quicksilver—come with their own set of challenges. All three stories are set in richly imagined fantasy worlds, which can be both creatively demanding and costly to bring to life on screen. Still, if Netflix and Prime Video manage to successfully adapt these romantasy titles, they could ignite a new wave of genre-defining television—and potentially shape one of the next major trends in popular media for years to come.
