Ever since Game Of Thrones concluded, viewers have been eagerly waiting for the next big show to take its place. And today, Amazon Prime has released a show that many are saying will be the true heir to Game Of Throne’s crown.
The Wheel Of Time is based on the legendary fantasy book series by Robert Jordan. Ever since the first book, The Eye of the World, was released in 1990, the series has delighted and mesmerized fans in equal measure. Overall, the groundbreaking series has 14 volumes and contains 4,410,036 words, making it one of the longest book series in history.
Set in the kingdom of Andor, the epic story follows Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai. The Aes Sedai is a powerful organization made up of women who can use magic. Moiraine gathers a group of five young people and takes them on an adventure around the world. However, this isn’t just a vacation, as Moiraine believes that one of these young people could be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a being who is prophesied to either save or obliterate the world.
For years, a big screen or television adaptation of the series has been a dream for fans, and it has been rumored several times. NBC acquired the rights to the first book in 2000, and they planned to make a show, but it fell through. Universal Pictures optioned the series in 2008, but nothing came of this attempt. The rights to the series ended up in a legal quagmire for several years, with several parties fighting about who could legally make adaptions of the books.
But when it was announced in 2016 that a television show was in development, fans held their breath, hoping that this one would work out. When Amazon announced that it had brought the rights to the series in 2018, fans let out a sigh of relief, hoping that Amazon would give the producers the budget to do the sprawling series justice.
This series has an all-star cast that features quite a few Game Of Thrones alumni. Rosamund Pike is in the starring role, playing the enigmatic Moiraine. Josha Stradowski plays the role of Rand al’Thor, and Marcus Rutherford will play Perrin Aybara, and Matrim Cauthon will be played by Barney Harris. Zoë Robins is taking the part of Nynaeve al’Meara, and Madeleine Madden will round out the core cast as Egwene al’Vere.
The series launches today on Amazon Prime Video, with the first 3 episodes dropping at once. The remaining five episodes will then release weekly, with the final episode of the first season landing on December 24, 2021. However, fans need not worry as the series was renewed for a second season in May. Before a single episode had even aired. So, we’re guaranteed to be getting more Wheel Of Time in the future.
We’ll have to wait and see if Wheel Of Time can become as big as Game Of Thrones. However, hopefully, the series will please fans who have spent years waiting patiently for an adaptation. And currently, based on its cast and promotional stills, it looks like it will live up to the hype.