Amazon Cancels Wheel of Time Prime Video Series After 3 Seasons, Leaving the Story Far from Finished
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the fantasy fandom, Amazon has cancelled the Prime Video series Wheel of Time after just three seasons, leaving the story far from finished. According to a report by Deadline, Prime Video had decided against renewing The Wheel of Time for Season 4 after "lengthy deliberations." While executives are said to have liked the show, they were ultimately unable to make it work financially.
The Wheel of Time is an adaptation of the beloved fantasy book series of the same name by Robert Jordan, with a cast led by Rosamund Pike. After a shaky first two seasons that had fans of the books in uproar over controversial changes from the source material, Season 3 appeared to win over the fanbase and set up the show for even better things to come. However, it seems that the show’s cost was ultimately too high for co-producers Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios, the latter of which also produces the expensive The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
In a statement, Deadline reported that "the Season 3 overall performance was not strong enough compared to the show’s cost for Prime Video to commit to another season and the streamer could not make it work after examining different scenarios and following discussions with lead studio Sony TV, sources said." This decision is sure to be a disappointment to fans of the show, who will be left wondering what could have been.
The cancellation of The Wheel of Time comes as a surprise, given the critical acclaim of Season 3. IGN’s review of the season returned an 8/10, with the publication stating that "The Wheel of Time finally achieves its full potential in season 3, which is filled with rich characters finding their place in Robert Jordan’s complex fantasy world." This sentiment was echoed by fans, who had begun to feel that the show was hitting its stride.
According to IGN, a ‘AAA Open-World RPG’ based on The Wheel of Time is currently in the works, offering fans some hope that the story will continue in a different form. IGN recently interviewed iwot Studios, which holds the rights to The Wheel of Time, to find out more about the upcoming game. While details are scarce, it’s clear that the world of The Wheel of Time will continue to be explored in the future.
The cancellation of The Wheel of Time serves as a reminder of the harsh realities of the television industry, where even critically acclaimed shows can fall victim to the bottom line. As IGN’s Director of News, Wesley Yin-Poole, noted, "Fans of the show will be particularly disappointed with the cancellation with so much left of The Wheel of Time’s story to tell." With its complex world-building and rich characters, The Wheel of Time had shown great promise, and its cancellation is sure to be felt throughout the fandom.
As reported by IGN, "Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected]."
