Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya have reportedly been cast as Violet and Xaden in the TV adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’ “Fourth Wing.”
See all topics
Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya are set to star in the small-screen adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’ hit romantasy novel “Fourth Wing” when it lands on Prime Video, industry outlets reported Thursday.
According to Deadline, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, McGregor, who is the daughter of Scottish actor Ewan McGregor and appears in Prime Video’s mystery drama “We Were Liars,” will play protagonist Violet Sorrengail — an unassuming scholar who hopes to graduate as a historian but is forced to become a dragon rider by her ruthless army general mother.
German actor Sakraya, who starred alongside Anthony Hopkins in Peacock’s Roman gladiator saga “Those About to Die,” will reportedly take on the role of Xaden Riorson. As fearsome as he is ambitious, Xaden is determined to join the ranks as an elite dragon rider.
In Yarros’ novel, the pair are the antithesis of one another, making for a classic enemies-to-lovers arc as they battle their way through the tyrannous Basgiath War College where there are only two ways to leave: graduate or die.
CNN has reached out to Amazon MGM Studios, which has yet to confirm the rumored casting.
Published in 2023, “Fourth Wing” is the first of Yarros’ Empyrean series, which is set to run to five books. So far, three volumes have been published — selling millions of copies worldwide.
Book lovers took to the internet Friday to have their say on the rumored castings.
“I’m squinting and I can kind of see the vision,” widely followed social media book reviewer Kaila Anttila, who posts as Kaila Books, said in a Instagram video. “Prime… they never let us down,” she added.
Actor and creator Joel Wood also weighed in: “Violet’s not blonde,” Wood said, pointing at an image of McGregor sporting a short blonde cut.
“But I know we can fix that,” he added, before explaining, “I’m not loving it, but I’m not hating it.”
Others expressed greater excitement at the prospect of McGregor and Sakraya stepping into the roles.
“I know I speak for many people when I say: The biggest congratulations to these two,” Nicole Holleman, one of the hosts of the Fantasy Fangirls Podcast, said in a video — before squealing excitedly.
She followed up with another short video encouraging fans to be “open minded” about casting.
