‘Wheel of Time’ First Look Reveals Moiraine, Rand Al’Thor, and More
The adaptation of Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series ‘The Wheel of Time’ is almost here.
The road to an adaptation started as far back as 2000, but it’s usually stalled in pre-production. FXX aired a pilot in the wee hours of the morning back in 2015 that starred Max Ryan and Billy Zane. There was no publicity done for it; it appears it was dumped on air due to contractual obligations. This time is different – the series has the backing of Amazon and Sony Pictures.
The two studios are hoping it will fill that fantasy series itch for fans Game of Thrones and The Lord of The Rings. Showrunner Rafe Judkins is aiming to produce something audiences haven’t seen before, and hopes to meet existing fans’ expectations.
“Wheel of Time is the first fantasy series that really dove into the political and cultural worlds of all these different characters. It was also one of the first to dive into multiple POV characters, so you’re following an ensemble, with each of them having their own agendas and approaches to everything. That’s always felt to me like the missing piece of the fantasy-literature landscape that hasn’t been brought to TV or film yet.”
The series will be a blend of the fifteen books instead of chopping it into a season per book in order to give the story a more organic flow (which for a story this size, is the right choice). Amazon’s synopsis…
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it, the story follows Moiraine, a member of the incredibly powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the small town of Two Rivers. There, she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity.
The series has been under production for a while now – they started filming in Eastern Europe two years back and had to stop due to covid for several months. EW has provided our first look at the series that’s due out this fall.
The giant ensemble cast includes Kae Alexander as Min Farshaw, Kate Fleetwood as Liandrin Guirale, Peter Franzen as Stepin, Clare Perkins as Kerene Nagashi, Sophie Okonedo as Siuan Sanche, Josha Stradowski as Rand Al’Thor, Barney Harris as Mat Cauthon, Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara, Madeleine Madden as Egwene Al’Vere, Zoë Robins as Nynaeve, And Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred.
via Amazon Studios and EW
via Amazon Studios and EW
via Amazon Studios and EW
Amazon has a lot of confidence in the series – a second season has already been approved before a trailer has dropped for the first season. To do the story justice it’s going to need more than that, so I hope this meets expectations.
The Wheel of Time arrives on Amazon Prime this November.
