Fourth Wing is officially coming to our TV screens, so it’s only right that fans are jumping on the potential cast member news. The latest question that fans of Rebecca Yarros’s epic fantasy series have: Is Off Campus star Josh Heuston going to trade his guitar in for a pair of double swords as Xaden? Fans think that the actor is jumping straight from book adaptation to another.
The Australian actor, who previously starred in Netflix’s Heartbreak High, plays Justin Kohl in the ice hockey romance Off Campus. He’s the musician who initially captures music student Hannah Wells’s attention before she unexpectedly falls for playboy hockey player Garrett Graham. However, Heuston is notably not returning for Season 2 of the Prime Video series. “I love Josh and I would not write him off if I can find a way to bring Justin back at some point,” series creator Louisa Levy told TV Guide. “We never got a chance to meet Stella, who is the person he ends up with in the book. So maybe we’ll find a way to fold him into a future season. We don’t have him [available] next season, but never say never.”
So, why isn’t Heuston available? Well, many fans have speculated he’ll be busy filming for Prime Video’s adaptation of Fourth Wing as Xaden. The actor certainly fits the role, matching the wing leader’s physical description almost exactly. Fans also spotted Heuston reading Onyx Storm, the sequel to Fourth Wing, in February of last year. Plus, the actor follows Yarros on Instagram and added a dragon emoji to his IG bio last month.
When asked about the rumors, Heuston has remained coy, simply saying that it’s “up to the scribes.” While he’s expressed his appreciation of the series, his answers have remained vague. “The books are amazing, and I love fantasy and everything involved in that genre, so who knows?” he told People.
In other interviews, he’s playfully dodged every mention of the fancasts and speculation.
The Fourth Wing TV series, which is being produced by Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, still has no set release date or confirmed cast. But, from all the not-so-subtle hints Heuston is dropping, it seems fans are more and more convinced that he’ll grace our screens as Xaden in the future.