Ridley Scott’s Upcoming Folk Of The Air Show Will Be The Perfect Arcane Replacement

Published Sep 12, 2026, 9:07 PM EDT

Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.

Dani is also part of ScreenRant's books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses.

They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer.

In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.

Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity.

Nothing has fully captured the feeling of the phenomenal Netflix series Arcane, but Ridley Scott’s upcoming fantasy TV show could be the perfect replacement. Arcane was a monumental piece of television that completely changed how Hollywood and audiences saw animated TV shows. The higher-ups poured money into the League of Legends project, and it paid off. The series proved that this visual medium could provide mature, deep storytelling on par with any high-budget feature film.

The writers created an entirely standalone story set within the larger League of Legends world. Plus, the characters are so well-developed that it’s easy to grow attached. Arcane’s world also feels like viewers could step through the screen and exist there. That’s how fleshed out the steampunk sci-fi fantasy is.

The animators blended together 3D character models with 2D hand-painted textures, creating the feeling that the story was a living painting. On top of that, they used camera movements and framing that felt more like live-action Blockbusters instead of cartoon shows. Ultimately, Arcane is now considered a masterpiece, and it deserves that title.

Since its release, very few TV shows have even come close to Arcane in terms of creativity, storytelling, and visuals. However, one show could finally be a worthy replacement. Prolific filmmaker Ridley Scott and Amazon are teaming up to bring The Folk of the Air by Holly Black to the screen, and it’s exactly what Arcane fans need.

Folk Of The Air Is A Brutal Fantasy With Political Intrigue Like Arcane

Arcane and The Folk of the Air series are both extremely brutal fantasies with political intrigue. They aren't beat-for-beat the same story, by any means, but they have general parallels that bring a similar effect. The Folk of the Air is full of espionage and betrayal, as Jude tries to find her way within the faerie courts. In the same vein, Maddie Nolen is, at best, a person subjected to Noxian manipulation, and, at worst, a spymaster for Ambessa.

There are plenty of betrayals to go around in both The Folk of the Air and Arcane. The fae cannot tell direct lies in Holly Black’s book series, so they use half-truths, deception that isn’t an overt lie, and frequent backstabbing to get ahead. Taryn’s actions in The Cruel Prince are a prime example. Meanwhile, the Netflix show has moments like Vi naming Jinx as the creator of a weapon and Huck selling out Caitlyn’s location. The stories create an air of doubt. There’s always a question of who you can actually trust.

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Despite all those similarities, The Folk of the Air and Arcane will exist on opposite sides of their governmental power structures. Jude and Cardan both exist within the royal system, even though Jude starts her monarchy journey as a spy for the Court of Shadows. She may be a human outsider that nobody fully trusts, but she’s still aligned with people in power. On the other hand, most of Arcane exists within the street-level and underground crime world.

Jude & Cardan's Relationship Parallels Vi & Caitlyn's Enemies-To-Lovers Romance

The Folk of the Air is a fantasy romance. It doesn’t fit neatly into the romantasy category, which is different from fantasy romance. However, the relationship subplot between Jude and Cardan is often central to the story, and it’s a driving factor in why readers love The Folk of the Air books. Their relationship, in many ways, mirrors that of Vi and Caitlyn, though the latter couple has a little less hostility than the former.

They are the ultimate enemies-to-lovers couple, and they’re actually enemies, not just rivals or mildly antagonistic. Cardan, a prince with a ton of power, actively bullies and torments Jude and her twin sister, Taryn, fueling Jude's rage and hatred toward him. They also exist in the “star-crossed lovers” category because they are separated by species, power, and class divides. The two build up their sexual and romantic tension by verbally sparring and pushing each other’s buttons. When they do actually get together, they bring different strengths to the table. Jude is the fighter, while Cardan is the strategist.

Much of this mirrors Caitlyn and Vi’s dynamic, though I’d classify them as reluctant allies, rather than true enemies. Caitlyn is a rich, sheltered member of Piltover, and she has a lot of prejudices towards the lower-class members of society, including Vi. On the other hand, Vi views Caitlyn as inherently untrustworthy and oppressive. They constantly get under each other’s skin with little moments of teasing. Vi and Caitlyn are also a couple with different strengths, making them a strong duo when working together.

However, one key difference is trust. Even when Cardan and Jude get together, they never seem to fully trust each other. There’s always a hesitance. Meanwhile, Vi and Caitlyn actually bridge the gap between their vastly different backgrounds, confiding in each other and serving as the safeharbor in a chaotic world.

Another element that makes The Folk of the Air an ideal replacement is the similar aesthetics. It might seem a little odd to compare them since to books haven’t actually come to the screen yet. However, The Folk of the Air provides descriptions, plus there are artistic elements of the franchise. We can see what the characters look like in the coloring book and tarot cards. A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame’s cover gives us another frame of reference. Plus, the series has plenty of fan art, most of which carries the same visual style.

In both the official art and the vast majority of fan art, the characters in Arcane and The Folk of the Air have extremely sharp, angular facial features and highly expressive faces. The jawlines are strikingly similar. Descriptions of the clothing blend beauty and danger, practicality and aesthetics, much like Arcane. The worlds of Piltover, Zaun, and Elfhame feature Art Nouveau elements, with Arcane also incorporating Art Deco, while The Folk of the Air blends it with Baroque. The architecture also features nature invading human-made structures. On top of that, the appearance of Arcane’s hextech and shimmers matches the descriptions of the magic in The Folk of the Air.

Ultimately, the sheer number of similarities between The Folk of the Air and Arcane, whether that be narrative or visual, is a major part of why fans of the faerie books are rallying for an animated version of The Folk of the Air in the style of Arcane. With Ridley Scott and his production company involved, I’m not sure that will happen, given their history of working primarily in live-action. Still, The Folk of the Air and Arcane might exist in very different types of worlds, but their connecting elements mean Scott’s upcoming adaptation could finally provide viewers with a worthy spiritual successor.