Rebecca Yarros’ “Fourth Wing” took fantasy romance readers by storm. The first book in the Empyrean series follows Violet Sorrengail, a daughter of a general and a sibling to two dragon riders who, after originally training to be a scribe, is forced to be a rider by her mother. The story chronicles her time in the Riders Quadrant as she tries to stay alive and forges a relationship with an older student named Xaden Riorson, the son of a revolutionary who was executed by Violet’s mother. Violet strives to learn more about her society’s history and what’s really going on around her, placing herself in frequent danger in the process.
Amazon MGM Studios purchased the rights to a television adaptation of Yarros’ books in October 2023. Moira Walley-Beckett (“Anne with an E”) was confirmed as showrunner in July 2024, but she was replaced by Jac Schaeffer (“WandaVision”) in July 2025. The series remains in the early stages of development, with execs determined to take their time in order to secure the right people. “We’re hard at work,” Vernon Sanders, the Head of TV for Prime Video, told Deadline in July 2025. “We love our relationship with Rebecca Yarros, who has been incredible, and we’re going to get this one right.”
Of course, with the project still being in a relatively early phase, there’s no news on casting yet, but fans of the Empyrean series no doubt have their own ideas about who should star in the upcoming TV show. Here are five actors we would love to see in Amazon’s “Fourth Wing” series.
Mackenzie Foy as Violet Sorrengail
Violet Sorrengail is the main character of the Empyrean series. Readers follow her as she goes to Basgiath War College, crossing the parapet to join the Riders Quadrant rather than joining the Scribe Quadrant she originally trained her whole life for. Riders are typically bonded with a dragon and have an incredibly physical job, something Violet is not initially prepared for. Not only did she only have a few short months to prepare to become a rider, but she has a connective tissue disorder, which can hinder her at times, much to her frustration. However, she continues to prove everyone and herself wrong, eventually bonding with two dragons and finding creative solutions to difficult situations.
Mackenzie Foy is one of several actresses who have been fancast as the youngest Sorrengail sibling, and it’s a choice we’re on board with. Foy made her movie debut as Renesmee in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” and has gone on to showcase her talents in several noteworthy films and TV shows. She’s best-known for starring as Clara in Disney’s festive fantasy film “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms,” turning in a performance that proves she has what it takes to front a big budget project. Disney+ subscribers will also recognize her from 2020’s “Black Beauty,” a retelling of the classic story by Anna Sewell.
Though Foy has not outwardly commented on the fancast, she did post an Instagram story in January 2025 of her reading “Onyx Storm,” the third and final installment in the Empyrean series. She also follows author Rebecca Yarros on Instagram, so perhaps the stars are aligning on this one.
Josh Heuston as Xaden Riorson
Xaden Riorson is the main male character and love interest for Violet Sorrengail. He’s from Tyrrendor, which, some six years prior to the start of the story, rose up in an act that became known as the Tyrrish Rebellion. The rebellion and the province’s push for independence from the Kingdom of Navarre inform a lot of the plot. Xaden, who seemingly hates Violet at first, is working on something with the separatist children that only comes to light later on. He is protective and resolved in his ways, and he’s not the best at opening up, which often causes issues in his and Violet’s relationship.
Australian actor Josh Heuston is a relative newcomer to the industry, but he’s been one of the most popular fan casts for Xaden. After making his debut in the Aussie series “Dive Club” in 2021, Heuston made the leap to the big screen with a minor performance in “Thor: Love & Thunder” (he was credited as Zeus Pretty Boy, which tells you everything you need to know about his chances of landing love interest roles in Hollywood). Audiences might already know him from “Heartbreak High,” where he plays musician Dusty Reid, or HBO’s rushed prequel series “Dune: Prophecy,” in which he plays Constantine Corrino.
Heuston has commented on the fact that fans are speculating about him taking the role of Xaden in Amazon’s “Fourth Wing” adaptation. “I think it’s a great world, the books are great, I’ve read them all now,” he told Marie Claire Australia in April 2025. He also says that Xaden and Xaden’s cousin Bodhi are “both good characters, they have their own signs and signets,” stemming from fans believing he’d do well in either role. He’s fed into the rumors by putting a dragon emoji in his bio on Instagram, where he follows Rebecca Yarros.
Ella Balinska as Rhiannon Matthias
Rhiannon Matthias is a member of the Riders Quadrant and Violet’s best friend at Basgiath War College. The two meet early on, before even crossing the parapet, and Violet gives Rhiannon one of her shoes so she has a better chance of making it across. The two help each other in the subjects they struggle in, and Rhiannon is always there for her friend. She’s a determined character, unafraid to show her fighting side when she has to.
Ella Balinska is one of the most popular fancasts for the character. She is known for playing Jane Kano in the 2019 “Charlie’s Angels” alongside Kristen Stewart and Naomi Scott and she later joined the cast of Netflix’s “Resident Evil” series as Jade Wesker. Her time on these action-heavy projects has no doubt prepared her perfectly to play Rhiannon, who has more physicality than Violet. With Conscription Day and the Gauntlet both likely to feature in the show, they’re going to need an actor with experience playing physical roles for Rhiannon, and Balinska fits the bill perfectly.
Adelaide Kane as Mira Sorrengail
Mira Sorrengail is Violet’s older sister and a First-Lieutenant Rider. Mira is on Violet’s side — upset that their mother has forced Violet to be a Rider — so she does everything she can to help. Mira tries to help Violet prepare before she goes to Basgiath, gifting her some rider boots and even having some dragon-scale amor made for her with the scales of her own dragon, something that regularly saves Violet’s life. She is more present in the second book, “Iron Flame,” once Xaden is stationed at the same outpost as her.
Some fans have been pushing for Mira to be played by Adelaide Kane, who you may know from her time as Mary Stuart in “Reign” and as the astrology-loving, no nonsense Dr. Jules Millin in “Grey’s Anatomy.” She’s also appeared in “SEAL Team,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Teen Wolf,” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” On the silver screen, she’s plied her trade in “The Purge,” “The Devil’s Hand,” and “Cosmic Sin.” This would be a great move by the casting directors because Kane would bring the correct mixture of grit and likeability to the role of Mira. Violet’s sister is the image of cool in the series, and Kane definitely has that in her locker.
Michael Cimino as Ridoc Gamlyn
Ridoc Gamlyn is one of Violet’s peers and friends in the Riders Quadrant. While he may come across as just the comic relief, especially in the second and third books, he will ultimately always stand up for his friends and has no qualms doing what he needs to do to protect them. He’s beloved by fans, so much so that people are worried that he won’t make it through the whole saga (the Empyrean series is “currently plotted for five books total,” according to Barnes and Noble). However, Rebecca Yarros has discussed how Ridoc’s humor will evolve over the next two books in an interview with EmpyreanRiders.com, which would imply he’s safe.
Either way, it’s a great role for someone, and we think that Michael Cimino would be ideal. He’s known for playing the titular character of “Love, Victor” and Zac in the Prime Video series “Motorheads.” He also played humorous characters in “How I Met Your Father” and “Never Have I Ever,” proving that he has the comedic chops to play Ridoc. This is a popular fan cast on TikTok, where users have made compilations of his interviews, highlighting how perfect they think he is for the role because of his natural, easy-going humor. While he hasn’t done anything in the fantasy realm yet, many people are convinced that he’s the right guy for Ridoc.
