The dragons haven’t even taken flight, and Fourth Wing fans are already breathing fire.
Prime Video has reportedly found its Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson for the upcoming adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’s bestselling romantasy series, with Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya set to play the enemies-turned-lovers at the center of the story. And naturally, people online have thoughts.
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For years, readers have imagined what the dragon riders of Basgiath War College might look like in real life, sharing fancasts, character edits, and fan art across social media. But now that two of the series’ most beloved characters have actual faces, not everyone is ready to embrace the casting.
According to Deadline, Sakraya was already a popular choice among fans to play the shadow-wielding Xaden, and early reactions suggest that plenty of readers are happy to see the German actor land the role.
McGregor’s casting as Violet, meanwhile, has sparked a more contentious conversation, with some fans questioning whether she fits their vision of the character, while others urge readers to reserve judgment until they see her in costume.
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But some fans can already see the vision. “Just picture Esther brunette. That’s a perfect Violet. She looks like she has bird bones. I can see it. I can see her dislocating things. It makes sense to me,” TikToker @kittykiju said, referencing Violet’s physical fragility, which plays a significant role in the books.
Others are praising McGregor’s acting skills. “I dont go here but Fourth Wing fans i am so jealous you got the amazing Esther McGregor as a lead because shes just fantastic,” one person posted on X.
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Of course, some fans have already turned to AI to visualize McGregor as Violet, which raises its own questions about how much AI-generated character art has shaped readers’ expectations of what these fictional characters should look like. After all, there’s a difference between imagining a character and expecting a real person to look exactly like that imagined version.
Previously, McGregor starred in the Prime Video teen thriller We Were Liars, and Sakraya’s English-language credits include Netflix’s Warrior Nun and the Peacock series Those About to Die.
The debate has gotten so lively that the Fourth Wing subreddit had to create a second casting megathread after the first surpassed 1,000 comments.
Welcome to the parapet, Esther and Emilio. It’s going to be a bumpy ride — but I, personally, can’t wait.
Those About to Die airs on Peacock in the U.S.; Prime Video distributes it in some international markets.
