Along with The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, The Wheel Of Time was one of Amazon’s major plays for a fantasy epic to rival Game Of Thrones.
Based on the book series by Robert Jordan, the show follows Moirane, a member of a powerful all-female organisation called the Aes Sedai, who seeks a group of young people from a small village, believing one of them is the child of an ancient prophecy.
Along with Rosamund Pike as Moirane, the show’s cast includes Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Madeliene Madden, Josha Stradowski, Kate Fleetwood, Priyanka Bose, and Hammed Animashaun.
The Wheel Of Time debuted in November 2021 to mixed reviews, but subsequent seasons were better received by critics and audiences alike.
Has The Wheel Of Time been cancelled?
As reported by Deadline, Amazon has decided not to renew The Wheel Of Time for a fourth season following “lengthy deliberations”.
However, there has been no statement from Amazon or showrunner Rafe Judkins about the show’s future at the time of writing.
Why was the show axed?
According to Deadline’s report, the reasons for the show’s cancellation were financial “as the series is liked creatively by the streamer’s executives”.
While not on the same level budget-wise as The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, The Wheel Of Time is one of the most expensive shows at Amazon. According to GQ, the show’s first season cost $80million to make, while later seasons were even pricier.
Amazon hasn’t explicitly stated why it cancelled the show, but its viewership has dropped since the first season – even if season three did hit the number one spot on Prime Video’s chart in multiple countries.
According to reports, season three’s viewership, ultimately, was not strong enough to justify the costs of another season.
Could The Wheel Of Time be saved?
The Wheel Of Time is a joint production between Amazon and Sony, so it’s unclear if the show could be picked up by another streaming service.
However, fans have already started online petitions to save The Wheel Of Time in the hope of catching the attention of other studios, with one hitting over 18,000 signatures.
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