Kait Mae

This week, I’m rounding out my hypothetical adaptations of Sarah J. Maas’s connected series with Crescent City. So far, this is the only Maas series that hasn’t been optioned to adapt yet, but I’m sure it will happen sooner or later. Before that happens, though, I want to put my thoughts and how I would adapt it on paper. It’s the most modernized fantasy she’s written so far, so of course, I have thoughts. So, keep reading to see what I would do, from casting to formatting.

SPOILER WARNING: If you haven’t read the series yet, you might be spoiled for minor plot points, but I’ll try not to spoil any major plot points.

What Is ‘Crescent City’?

Crescent City is an urban fantasy series where most of the action happens in Lunathion, also known as the Crescent City. It follows Bryce Quinlan, a half-human, half-Fae woman, as her life is thrown upside down after a brutal murder. After, she’s teamed up with Hunt Athalar, a fallen angel, to solve a string of similar murders around the city.

The second and third books follow them, teaming up and taking down an oppressive regime controlling the world and magic for several years. It includes betrayal, redemption, and ancient rivalries.

Read More: How I Would Adapt ‘Throne of Glass’

How Would I Do It?

In the Throne of Glass article, I went live-action, while ACOTAR would be animated. For Crescent City, I’m going back to a live-action show. To differentiate it even more from TOG, I’d lean into the modernized setting while still incorporating magical elements.

By leaning into this aesthetic, I’d pull inspiration from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lucifer. I even think The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina would be great for the dark magic elements that come up from time to time in Crescent City.

Just a heads up for this paragraph: this might be a spoiler if you haven’t read the third book. When Bryce is in the ACOTAR universe, I’d want to have those scenes animated. And the same goes for when Bryce visits a couple more times later in the book – I think that would be a great way to tie the series together.

Read More: How I Would Adapt ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’

Who Would I Cast?

First and foremost, I couldn’t find anyone for Bryce that I liked enough to say she’s my perfect fan cast. So, I’d want to have an open casting call for anyone – and I wouldn’t be a stickler for hair color because she could wear a wig.

For everyone else, I’m basing my casting on fan art I have found online and their book descriptions.

Most people’s favorite fallen angel, Hunt Athalar, has several fan art versions of him floating around the internet – as well as even more fan casts. So, after searching for days, I settled on Staz Nair, more recently seen in Rebel Moon.

As for Ruhn, Bryce’s half-brother, I imagined Booboo Stewart while reading, and I can’t change my mind on this. Sadly, he cut his hair off, but again, a wig or growing out his hair would do well.

Moving on to Bryce’s best friend, Danika Fendyr, and her mother, Sabine. I wanted them to look like they could plausibly be related, and I think I found the perfect duo after comparing several pairings. For Danika and Sabine, I think Olivia DeJonge (I saw her in The Society) and Mädchen Amick (no introductions needed, really) would be perfect.

On to Bryce’s other best friends, Juniper and Fury. I picked Chandler Kinney, most recently seen in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, as my Juniper. She has the look I keep seeing in fan art, and she’s my pick.

For Fury, I have seen so many fan castings, but after seeing Arden Cho in Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was set on her being my Fury. She has the edge I want in this assassin.

Moving on to Jesiba, Bryce’s boss and then reluctant colleague. I wanted someone who could portray someone who’s seen several centuries of horror and still thrives. Someone who could play a character that radiates power just by standing there. And that actress is Michelle Pfeiffer.

As for Lehabah, Jesiba’s fire sprite (and my favorite character from the entire series), I saw one person fan cast Barbie Ferreira, and I agree wholeheartedly. She’d kill this role, no doubts about it.

For Micah, I chose Jamie Campbell Bower. If he hadn’t been in Stranger Things, I don’t know who I would have picked, but he convinced me after that role.

As for Sandriel, I went with Jaimie Alexander. I only found two fan artworks of her, and both reminded me of Jaimie from later seasons of Blindspot, so I knew who my pick was immediately.

Moving on, we have The Autumn King and Ember, Bryce’s parents. For The Autumn King, I’d want to do an open casting call after casting Bryce because they are constantly said to look very similar in the face.

The same sentiment goes for Ember Quinlan. I want someone who looks like she could be the actress who plays Bryce’s mom believably – and that’s hard to do without someone cast for Bryce.

As for Bryce’s stepfather, the man who actually raised her, Randall Silago – one of my favorite characters from Sarah so far. I have two choices for him – Shemar Moore or Colman Domingo. Truthfully, I’m leaning more toward Colman because he looks more like the fan art, but I’m partial to Shemar after Criminal Minds.

Up next, Tharion. For him, I looked far and wide and settled on Jake Austin Walker. He has the talent to make the slightly self-destructive merman a little more likable.

As for Ithan, another slightly self-destructive (and kind of dumb) character, I think Michael Cimino would do perfectly. He has played similar characters before, so this is perfect for him.

Lidia is next. I was a little torn between three actresses, but I’m going with Sarah Grey after rewatching a few of her scenes in The Order on Netflix.

Up next is another character introduced in the second book, Cormac, Bryce and Ruhn’s cousin. As soon as he appeared on paper, I knew Sam Cortlett would be my pick. If you’ve seen him in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, you know exactly why.

Time to move on to Ruhn’s roommates and friends, Declan, Flynn, and Marc. This group needs to be able to bounce off each other well and feel like friends – and the actors I’ve chosen have that chemistry with everyone they’ve acted with onscreen so far. I chose Jordan Doww, Charles Vandervaart, and Keiynan Lonsdale for Declan, Flynn, and Marc, respectively.

For Hunt’s colleague Isaiah, I think Dayo Okeniyi would be perfect in the role. He has a commanding personality while still having a great smile that I imagine Isaiah to have.

Moving on, we have Baxian, Hunt’s new colleague, in book two. For him, I think Kedar Williams-Stirling would be great in the role. His character in Sex Education sold me on it.

For Hypaxia, who I wish was in the books more, I chose Laura Harrier. She has proven she can play both innocent and dark through her several roles.

Celestina, who we meet in the second book, needs to have someone who can play angelic and menacing. After seeing a few of her scenes in Batwoman, Javicia Leslie is perfect for this character.

Last but not least, I have narrowed down my choices for the Viper Queen to two renowned actresses – Lucy Liu and Michelle Yeoh. Both could easily bring the menacing and manipulative character to life perfectly – so I’m not going won’t choose.

Man, that was a lot of characters. Did I miss your favorite? Who would you cast in a Crescent City show?