Amazon might be finished with The Wheel of Time, but we haven’t seen the end of the story when it comes to adaptations of Robert Jordan’s bestselling high fantasy saga. Fans were left blindsided when Amazon abruptly pulled the plug on its live-action Wheel of Time series last year, ending the popular production after a three-season run. Some channeled their disappointment into a grassroots campaign meant to try and convince the studio to reverse its decision, but it wasn’t enough to get the Wheel turning again. In the wake of all that bad news, showrunner Rafe Judkins tried to offer a glimmer of hope that Jordan’s epic tale might continue on the screen somehow. “Sadly, it’s not something that happens often. But it does happen,” he mused last June regarding the possibility of Wheel of Time continuing elsewhere. “Who knows, perhaps the Wheel of Time show will do what the books have always managed to do since day one – defy the traditional definitions of ‘beginnings’ and ‘ends.’ I certainly hope it does – because this book series and these fans deserve to see the story finished.”

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Now, nearly a year later, those fans have something new to look forward to — although it isn’t a continuation of the live-action Wheel of Time series. Per Variety, a deal has been struck to produce a number of new adaptations, including a video game, animated film, and animated television show. They’re all being developed by Thomas Vu, whose resume includes Netflix’s Arcane series as well as time spent steering League of Legends. Vu’s Time projects join the slate of upcoming efforts previously announced by iwot Studios, which owns the multimedia rights to the property; that list includes the animated prequel film The White Tower, which has been in the works for several years, as well as a live-action prequel film, Age of Legends. “I see tremendous opportunity in expanding The Wheel of Time into fully authentic, integrated, interactive, and animated storytelling experiences,” Vu’s quoted as saying. “The depth of the mythology provides a foundation for sustained, multi-platform franchise growth.” “Thomas has consistently demonstrated the ability to scale narrative worlds into global entertainment franchises,” enthused iwot CEO Rick Selvage. “His background at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and franchise architecture makes him uniquely suited to help expand The Wheel of Time in new immersive formats. We look forward to working closely with Thomas and Anthony as we bring the next chapter of The Wheel of Time to audiences around the world.”

This is all something to get (cautiously) excited about if you love The Wheel of Time, but it’s probably worth noting that Vu will also be working with Initiate Entertainment, a company owned by Grab Games founder Anthony Borquez. He’s also a co-founder of Grab Labs, where the mission is to “create AI-driven platforms and tools that enable creators to redefine the media landscape” — a major red flag for fans who are concerned about AI’s continual creep into various areas of the entertainment industry.

We obviously don’t know anything yet regarding anyone’s plans to bring AI into any of these Wheel of Time adaptations; on the other hand, it’s probably safe to assume that the colossal expense associated with the live-action series was part of what led to its cancellation. The slew of projects iwot’s planning seems wildly ambitious, and also expensive; if the studio opted to cut down on costs by incorporating the controversial technology, it would be disappointing, but not surprising.

Release Date

2021 – 2025-00-00

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Rafe Judkins

Directors

Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip

Writers

Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna