'Divergent' casting choices: What we think so far

It’s become almost expected: Announce the cast of a bestselling book, in this case Divergent by Veronica Roth, and fans of the source material are bound to freak out. Really, the people involved with the movie production should take the obsessive enthusiasm as a compliment – fans have already spent so much time picturing Tris and Four together in training or imagining the cold and calculating Jeanine on the big screen, and it’s no wonder they’re going to prejudge the cast before seeing any footage. Now that the full main cast for the film adaptation of Divergent – which started shooting in Chicago last month – has been announced, and we’ve had few weeks to process the news, we want to know whose performances you’re most excited about checking out.

Personally, I can’t wait to see Shailene Woodley as the heroine. Like a lot of people, I was blown away by Woodley’s performance in The Descendants (Haters, I direct you to this heartbreaking scene) so I can’t wait to see what she does with the simultaneously tough and vulnerable Tris. I can’t be the only one who was thrilled seeing this photo of Woodley surrounded by knives from one of the early Dauntless initiation days, although I not-so-secretly wish we’d also gotten a look at the guy throwing the weapons — which leads me to Theo James.

James’ performance as Four is the one I’m most anxious to watch. The duo’s chemistry in the novel is one of the main selling points. (This is a YA trilogy, after all!) But equally important is his emotional arc, both with how he came to his nickname and his relationship with his father — since each give the character some much-needed depth. James’ previous work as a doomed Turkish diplomat on Downton Abbey prove the former Mr. Pamuk isn’t horrible to look at, but fans of the book know Four needs to be more than just a pretty face.

Check out our gallery of all the actors playing these already-loved characters (Oscar-winner Kate Winslet finally gets to be a big bad villain? Perfect!) and then tell us in the comments whose performance you are most looking forward to seeing on the big screen come next year. I’m already prepared to shed a few tears for Al (Christian Madsen).

Read more:

‘Divergent’: Who’s Who in the Cast

First Look: Shailene Woodley faces knives in ‘Divergent’ — EXCLUSIVE PHOTO