'Sleepy Hollow' season 4 spoilers, cast news: New cast members added in wake of Nicole Beharie's exit; FOX executive talks about show's renewal

"Sleepy Hollow" killed off a fan-favorite character, which was why a fourth season almost didn't happen. That much was revealed by no less than Fox's network president for entertainment, David Madden.

FBI Agent Abbie Mills' (Nicole Beharie) death in the season 3 finale caused an uproar among fans who was expecting her relationship with fellow witness Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) to progress. The network drew flak due to Abbie's demise in the story, but according to Yibada, killing off the character was a mutual decision on the part of the creators and producers to gear up for the fourth season.

"We feel we have provided a wonderfully poignant conclusion for Abbie and showed some of the best moments between the Witnesses that we've seen on screen," the publication quoted the official statement from the network.

Nevertheless, Madden admitted that giving "Sleepy Hollow" the green light for its fourth season was a tough decision to make in light of the exit of some of the characters. Speaking to TV Line, he said the decision to renew the series for a fourth installment was spurred by the new storyline that the show's creative department pitched to them.

"And the first seven scripts are really fun. We think there are a lot of good stories to tell," Madden added in his interview with the publication.

Meanwhile, after casting "True Blood's" Janina Gavankar as Diana, Abbie's replacement, the series has added four more cast members in recurring roles.

Jeremy Davies ("Justified") is "Sleepy Hollow's" new villain, Malcolm Dreyfuss. TV Line described the character as an eccentric and outspoken tech mogul who became a billionaire before he even turned 30. Davies' character would be contrary to what Ichabod has been working hard to establish throughout the series.

Deadline likewise reported that Jerry MacKinnon would be taking on the character of Jake Wells, a research analyst who catalogs supernatural activities who would be Ichabod's friend, along with Rachel Melvin who would breathe life to Alex Norwood's character and Wells' co-worker. Oona Yaffe will play Molly, Diana's creative 10-year-old daughter.

Would "Sleepy Hollow" survive without Abbie Mills? Madden would like to think so, and fans should, too.

"Sleepy Hollow" season 4 will air sometime early 2017.