The wait is finally over, dragon riders. After what felt like an eternity of us all manifesting a screen adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, Prime Video has finally locked in the leads for the Fourth Wing series. If you’ve been living in the Scribe Quadrant and missed the update, Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya are officially set to star as our favorite power couple, Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson.
The Leads
Esther McGregor—yes, daughter of Ewan, so the acting genes are elite—will be stepping into Violet’s boots. You’ve likely seen her in We Were Liars or Babygirl. Meanwhile, the German actor Emilio Sakraya is taking on the role of the brooding, signet-harnessing wingleader Xaden. Yarros herself was vocal about keeping Xaden’s casting authentic to his description in the books, and it’s a major W to see that commitment to diversity reflected in the final choice.
Behind the Scenes
The project has some serious main character energy behind the camera, too. Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, is spearheading the adaptation, with Lisa Joy (co-founder of Kilter Films) set to direct the pilot. While the show has seen some behind-the-scenes movement—Meredith Averill has stepped in as the new showrunner following Moira Walley-Beckett’s exit—Yarros remains onboard as an executive producer, though she’s lowkey keeping her distance to let the creators work their magic without influence.
Why it matters
Fourth Wing is a global obsession, and for a book that literally broke the internet upon release, the pressure to get this right is high-key insane. By focusing on a blend of fresh faces, the production team is aiming to avoid the 'baggage' that comes with big-name casting, ensuring we can actually believe these characters are the ones we’ve spent years obsessing over. No release date yet, but it's giving must-watch TV.
