Amazon MGM Studios has ordered a live-action series adaptation of romantic fantasy sensation Fourth Wing, and fans are already imagining who should play the parts. The novel’s author, Rebecca Yarros, has announced that the Empyrean series will span five books, with three currently available: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm. A collection of short stories, Threshing Day, covers the experiences of Xaden, Ridoc, Rhiannon, and other characters during a major test. A graphic novel adaptation is planned for release next year.
The Empyrean fandom is immense. Onyx Storm was the fastest-selling adult novel in 20 years upon its release, according to The New York Times. The plot follows Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old thrust into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College by her mother to train as a dragon rider. There, she falls in love with the mysterious rebel leader Xaden Riorson, while taming two dragons, unlocking her unusual powers, and facing terrifying dark magic wielders.
Amazon is producing the adaptation in collaboration with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society. Jordan confirmed the creative team’s approach to casting: “It allows people to, like, fall in love with the characters that they have imagined in their head without any baggage, with projecting their own feelings on certain casts.” The show will be live-action, and casting will be crucial.
Here are five actors who would be perfect for the main roles:
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Madelaine Petsch as Andarna (Voice) — Petsch is best known as Cheryl Blossom, the chaotic “kill-them-with-kindness” mean girl from Riverdale. Her sweet, high-pitched voice would be perfect for Andarna, Violet’s youngest dragon, who waited 640 years to hatch. The show needs a youthful presence, and Petsch’s ability to pretend to be sweet makes her a great fit.
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Idris Elba as Tairn (Voice) — Elba has one of the most distinctive voices on screen today. His deep, commanding tone matches Tairn’s centuries-old wisdom and battlefield experience. The ancient, battle-hardened dragon helps raise Andarna and bonds with Violet, a previously unheard-of pairing.
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Ella Balinska as Rhiannon Matthias — Balinska starred as one of the three formidable angels in Charlie’s Angels (2019) and in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Resident Evil. Both were misses with audiences, but her action chops stand out. Rhiannon leads Violet’s hand-to-hand combat training, and Balinska’s fight experience makes her the ideal choice.
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Samuel Braun as Dain Aetos — Braun is best known as Josh Regis in Netflix’s Crew Girl. He has the right look and the range. Dain is Violet’s best friend since childhood, but he quickly shows his true colors and drifts apart. Braun’s introspective journey in Crew Girl — dealing with a life-threatening illness and complicated family ties — prepares him for Dain’s two-sided personality.
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Abbie Hern as Imogen Cardulo — Hern has been acting for years, with roles in short films and as supporting players. She played Princess Bess in Prime Video’s My Lady Jane and is currently Gemma Jay in season 4 of Ted Lasso. Her standout performance as Mae in Enola Holmes 2 — a fierce young woman protecting dissenters — makes her the best fit for Imogen, a child of rebellion conscripted into the Riders Quadrant.
The Case for Petsch
Andarna is a baby dragon, and Petsch’s sweet, high-pitched voice is exactly what the part needs. The casting note argues that voice actors often sound older and wiser, but Andarna is a young dragon who waited 640 years to hatch. A youthful presence in the voice matters more than gravitas here.
Petsch brings that youthful energy to everything she does. Her portrayal of Cheryl Blossom earned her a following for her antics, and her ability to pretend to be sweet is a real asset. The show would benefit from a dragon whose voice feels young and innocent, not ancient and commanding.
Elba’s Commanding Presence
Elba’s resume is mostly live-action, but his voice work is a strength. He has played roles in dramas like Luther and The Wire, and his distinctive timbre has become instantly recognizable. Tairn is an ancient dragon with centuries of wisdom and battlefield experience, and Elba’s authoritative tone would give the character a commanding presence.
The British accent adds an extra layer of sophistication. Tairn helps raise Andarna and bonds with Violet, a previously unheard-of pairing for a human. Elba’s voice, with its rich timbre, would make Tairn a true character.
Balinska’s Action Chops
Balinska’s action roles are the draw here. She starred as one of the three formidable angels in Charlie’s Angels (2019) and in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Resident Evil. Neither was a hit with audiences, even though the casting was fantastic. Balinska stood out in both as a fierce fighter.
Rhiannon leads Violet’s hand-to-hand combat training, and many training scenes in Fourth Wing focus on close combat. An actor with fight experience would handle those scenes without problems. Balinska’s work in Charlie’s Angels and Resident Evil shows she knows how to handle action sequences.
Braun’s Introspective Journey
Braun is best known as Josh Regis in Netflix’s Crew Girl. Throughout that series, his character experiences a tough, introspective journey, dealing with a life-threatening illness, feelings for someone he shouldn’t have feelings for, and a troubled relationship with his family. That range prepares him for Dain’s two-sided personality.
Dain is Violet’s best friend since childhood, but he quickly shows his true colors and the two drift apart. The character switches between silent and moody, jealous and angry, hurt and caring. Braun has already shown he can handle a complex emotional arc, and he has the right look for the part.
Hern’s Protective Edge
Hern has been acting for years, with roles in short films and as supporting players. She played Princess Bess in Prime Video’s My Lady Jane and is currently Gemma Jay in season 4 of Ted Lasso. Her standout performance as Mae in Enola Holmes 2 — a fierce young woman protecting dissenters — makes her the best fit for Imogen, a child of rebellion conscripted into the Riders Quadrant.
Imogen is a little older and wiser than Violet and her friends, understanding the world around her better. She’s loyal and protective, but she’s also hard and caustic. Hern’s ability to alternate between those modes makes her the right choice.
The show’s creators want to avoid “obvious choices” so viewers can fall in love with the characters they have imagined in their heads. Fans will watch closely as the show moves forward. The characters are fascinating, and the choices will matter.
Source material: “Casting Amazon's Fourth Wing TV Show: 15 Actors Who'd Be Perfect For Main Roles,” Screen Rant.
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