Summary
AMistbornmovie has the potential to kickstartBrandon Sanderson’s Cosmereon-screen and make thefantasy genre as big as superheroes, butit needs a great cast in order to succeed.Casting the right actor as Kelsierwould go a long way towards winning fans over to an adaptation, as Kelsier is one of the strongest and most charming characters from the original trilogy. It’s also critical that aMistbornmovie nails Vin’s casting, as she’s the heroine of the entire first series. Getting moviegoers invested in her story is the only way to adapt the whole thing.
Vin is 16 years old whenMistbornopens, and she grows into young adulthood inThe Well of AscensionandThe Hero of Ages.Many popular fan castings, like Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy, have already aged out of the role. And even current up-and-coming stars might not be young enough to portray Vin if aMistbornmovie ever happens. However, ifcasting for aMistbornfilmstarted soon,there are a number of stars who would prove excellent as Sanderson’s lead.
The Mistborn Movie’s Biggest Challenge Is The Part Of The Books I Love The Most
If the Mistborn series are adapted into feature films, this critical aspect of the novels may be one of the most challenging but rewarding hurdles.
8Dafne Keen
Known For: Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan, His Dark Materials
Dafne Keen is one of the most popular choices to play Vin in aMistbornmovie, and it’s easy to understand why this is the case. Looking at Vin on the covers ofSanderson’sMistbornbooks, the resemblance between the character and Keen is uncanny. Keen looks the part, perhaps more so than any other actor, and that’s always a great starting point. However, the reason for Keen’s fan casting goes beyond her appearance. She also feels the best-suited to bring Vin to the big screen.
Keen also has the star power to draw moviegoers to theaters, and her previous work proves she’s talented enough to capture Vin’s nuances.
Keen has the star power to draw moviegoers to theaters, and her previous work proves she’s talented enough to capture Vin’s nuances. Her portrayal of X-23 inLoganandDeadpool & Wolverineis probably the best example of why Keen would nail the role ofMistborn’s heroine. X-23 is also an abandoned child who learns what it means to find family, and she’s an effective fighter — just like Vin. Keen’s role inThe Acolyteis equally promising when it comes to Keen’s choreography skills, andHis Dark Materialsshows she can handle adapting a book’s main character.
7Millie Bobby Brown
Known For: Stranger Things, Damsel, Enola Holmes
Another actor who could easily helm aMistbornmovie is Millie Bobby Brown.Brown is best known for playing Eleven in Netflix’sStranger Things,but she recently broke into the fantasy genre with her 2024 filmDamsel.Brown also stars in Netflix’sEnola Holmesmovies, and she appears in 2021’sGodzilla vs. Kong.Needless to say, Brown’s star power would likely fill theaters with newcomers if she starred in aMistbornfilm.
Brown’s projects highlight her range, andher performances inStranger Thingsare evidence that she has the talent to lead aMistbornmovie. Eleven is a fairly complicated character, and Brown masterfully brings her to life. There’s little doubt she’d do the same for Vin, and she looks the part nearly as much as Keen. Thanks toEnola Holmes,we also know that Brown can adapt book characters.Mistborn’s world is more complex than that ofEnola Holmes,butDamselproves Brown can take on fantasy narratives.
6Bella Ramsey
Known For: The Last Of Us, Game Of Thrones
Maisie Williams is no longer an option to play Vin, butanotherGame of Thronesstar could still tackle the role. Bella Ramsey plays Lyanna Mormont in the HBO series, and they do an impressive job of it. Despite appearing sporadically throughoutGame of Thrones’later seasons, Lyanna is a fan-favorite character. Ramsey is at least partially responsible for this, and they could probably transfer Lyanna’s spunk to a character like Vin.
Ramsey delivers an impressive iteration of Ellie, and that offers hope they could do the same for Vin.
Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie inThe Last of Usdemonstrates their ability to successfully lead a show, and it’s one that’s adapted from a video game. Interpreting characters from any source material — whether it’s books, games, or something else entirely — isn’t always easy. But Ramsey delivers an impressive iteration of Ellie, and that offers hope they could do the same for Vin. Capturing Vin and Kelsier’s found family dynamic should also be easy for Ramsey after bouncing off Pedro Pascal’s Joel inThe Last of Us.
5Jenna Ortega
Known For: Wednesday, Scream, X
If aMistbornmovie is looking to capitalize on recognizable talent,it couldn’t do much better than casting Jenna Ortega as Vin. Ortega is one of the biggest young stars in Hollywood, and she has many of the same features that Vin does inMistborn.Her dark hair and small stature would allow her to easily slip into the role, and she’s proven she can jump between character types and genres over the past few years. Although horror seems to be her most comfortable category,Wednesdayleans into fantasy as well.
And Ortega’s most well-known projects are probablyWednesdayandScream,both of which demonstrate her ability to capture a range of emotional beats. The actor’sScreamcharacter proves she can turn up the tension when necessary, while herWednesdayrole sees her dialing back her emotions in favor of a more flat affect. Vin would likely fall somewhere in the middle, so it’s good to know that Ortega is capable of striking a balance. After playing Wednesday Addams,Ortega can probably handle just about any well-loved and iconic role, too.
4McKenna Grace
Known For: Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Handmaid’s Tale
McKenna Grace is another name that regularly crops up when discussing aMistbornmovie, and although she doesn’t always look the part, her role inGhostbusters: Afterlifereveals how dramatically she can change her appearance for film and TV projects.Ghostbusters: Afterlifeis also a testament to McKenna’s ability to star in a major franchise and work alongside a fairly large cast. Both would come in handy if she were ever to play Vin in aMistbornfilm.
Grace has given dramatically different performances throughout her career, with projects likeThe Handmaid’s Talerequiring a different skill set compared toYoung SheldonorGhostbusters: Frozen Empire. Given that Grace can take on a leading role, jump genres, and play a wide range of characters, it’s a safe bet that she could handle Vin. If aMistbornmovie actually happens, she’s certainly a star the casting diretors should consider.
3Freya Allan
Known For: The Witcher, Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes
Freya Allan isn’t typically mentioned as an actor who could play Vin, which is somewhat surprising given she’s in the right age range. Perhaps it’s because most people associate her with Princess Ciri fromThe Witcher,whose blonde hair and light features are a far cry from the wayMistborn’s heroine is described. However,seeing Allan with darker hair inKingdom of the Planet of the Apesmakes me think she could pass as Vin.
Allan certainly has the fantasy genre down already, as she excels at playing Ciri inThe Witcher.Her development in the Netflix series is impressive, and it inspires confidence in her ability to lead aMistbornadaptation. Allan also captures the same found family dynamic with Henry Cavill’s Geralt that she’d need to portray with Vin and Kelsier. Her training sequences inThe Witcheralso make me think she’d handleMistborn’s magic systemwell.
2Rachel Zegler
Rachel Zegler is another star becoming more and more recognizablein recent years, with her role inThe Ballad of Songbirds & Snakescatapulting her to new levels of fame — something Disney’s live-actionSnow Whiteis likely to repeat in 2025. Zegler has dark hair and eyes, matching Vin’s description in theMistbornbooks. She also knows how to successfully bring a character from the page to the screen. She does so with Lucy Gray in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, radiating main character energy the entire time.
While Vin probably has more in common with Katniss than Lucy, Zegler has impressive acting chops — enough so that I’d take a chance on her asMistborn’s lead.
While Vin probably has more in common with Katniss than Lucy, Zegler has impressive acting chops — enough so that I’d take a chance on her asMistborn’s lead. Most of her projects have seen her playing flashy and musical characters, so it’d be interesting to see what she does with a very different archetype. Zegler’s involvement would also increase interest in aMistbornadaptation, bringing in longtime fans and newcomers alike.
1Momona Tamada
Known For: Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Baby-Sitters Club, The Spiderwick Chronicles
Momona Tamada is less experienced than some of the other stars on this list, butshe has the right look to play Vin in aMistbornmovie— and her most recent projects suggest an interest in the fantasy genre. Tamada appears as Ty Lee in Netflix’s live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderand Emiko inThe Spiderwick Chronicles.While neither sees her tackling a lead role, both of these projects prove she can handle complex narratives, as well as adapted characters.
Tamada also stars in Netflix’s adaptation ofThe Baby-Sitters Club,demonstrating that she can adapt a character from a popular book series. She’s never led a major franchise likeMistbornbefore, butlesser-known stars are often the right choice for such projects. Unlike Ortega or Zegler, Tamada wouldn’t have the baggage that comes with being automatically associated with another character. This could benefit an adaptation of Sanderson’s work, making the actor synonymous with Vin andMistbornrather than some other series.
