The Wheel of Time series on Prime Video has come to an abrupt halt following Amazon's decision to cancel the show after Season 3. According to Deadline, the cancellation came after "lengthy deliberations" where executives, although fond of the series, found it financially unviable to continue.
Based on the beloved fantasy novels by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time features a stellar cast led by Rosamund Pike. The show experienced a turbulent start with its first two seasons, drawing criticism from fans for deviating significantly from the source material. However, Season 3 managed to win over a majority of the fanbase and appeared to set the stage for a promising future.
Fans are understandably devastated by the cancellation, especially given the vast amount of story left to explore. Many felt that the series was just beginning to hit its stride.The high production costs of The Wheel of Time, produced by Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios, were a significant factor in the decision. Amazon MGM Studios also produces the costly series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. As Deadline reported:
... 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.
IGN's review of The Wheel of Time Season 3 awarded it an 8/10, praising the series for finally reaching its full potential: "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."
Although the TV adaptation has ended, fans of the series can look forward to a 'AAA Open-World RPG' in development. IGN interviewed iwot Studios, the rights holder for The Wheel of Time, to learn more about this exciting new project.
