October 16, 2026, 2:55 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
With a dangerous dragon rider school, political conflicts, and a grand love story, the book series “Fourth Wing” became an international success. However, it was long unclear who would play the two main characters, Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson. Now, the roles are said to have been cast. Particularly surprising: A German actor is reportedly set to play Xaden.
German Actor to Get Lead Role
The main character, Violet Sorrengail, will be played by American actress Esther McGregor. She is known for productions such as “We Were Liars” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
But the casting for Xaden Riorson is likely to surprise fans. According to the industry magazine “Variety,” the role is set to go to Emilio Sakraya. The native German, with roots in Morocco and Serbia, is known for “Rheingold.” Sakraya has also been involved in international productions, appearing in “Tribes of Europa,” “Warrior Nun,” and “Those About to Die.”
And “Fourth Wing” is not the only major fantasy project on the horizon for the German actor. He is also set to appear in season 3 of the Netflix series “One Piece,” playing Koza, the childhood friend of Princess Vivi. According to Variety, filming for this has already been completed.
Amazon itself has not yet confirmed the casting. The company declined to comment on the casting to Variety.
What “Fourth Wing” Is About
“Fourth Wing” is the first book in the successful “Empyrean” series by Rebecca Yarros. The book was published in May 2023 and combines fantasy with a dramatic love story:
Violet Sorrengail actually has little to do with dragons. The 20-year-old wants to become a scribe and lead a relatively quiet life. But her mother, a high-ranking general, decides otherwise: Violet must attend Basgiath War College, not to study, but for the brutal training to become a dragon rider.
However, this training can be deadly. Violet must hold her own against stronger competitors and find a dragon willing to bond with her. At the same time, she repeatedly clashes with Xaden Riorson. The powerful squad leader has his own history with Violet’s family. From initial distrust, a complicated relationship develops between the two, which, alongside the dragons and political conflicts, forms an important part of the plot.
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The Series Has Been in the Works for a While
The idea of a “Fourth Wing” series is not entirely new. Amazon MGM Studios secured the rights to the book series back in 2023. However, it took until May 2026 for Amazon to give the green light for production on Prime Video.
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Meanwhile, a lot has happened behind the scenes. Originally, Moira Walley-Beckett was set to oversee the series, but she left the project in 2025. In September of the same year, Meredith Averill took over. She previously worked on “Anne With an E” and “Locke & Key” and is involved with “Fourth Wing” as showrunner and executive producer.
Additionally, Michael B. Jordan is involved through his production company Outlier Society. Author Rebecca Yarros is also working as an executive producer on the series.
Things Are Getting Exciting for “Fourth Wing”
Despite the new casting reports, it remains unclear when “Fourth Wing” will actually premiere on Prime Video. There is also no trailer or concrete images from the series yet.
And even with Violet and Xaden, a question mark remains for now: As long as Amazon does not officially confirm the casting, the two most important roles in the series are not yet definitively confirmed.