20 new shows that could become the next Game of Thrones
Credit: Tor Books
The Wheel of Time (Amazon/Sony Pictures)
Author Robert Jordan’s epic The Wheel of Time novels have always been popular in the fantasy realm, and fans of the books were jazzed when it was announced that Amazon Studios was set to adapt the story for television, with production already ongoing. The official announcement included the following synopsis:
"The fantasy epic is set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists, but only women can use it. The story follows Moiraine, a member of the shadowy and influential all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women. Moiraine believes that one of them might be the reincarnation of an incredibly powerful individual, whom prophecies say will either save humanity or destroy it. The series draws on numerous elements of European and Asian culture and philosophy, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism."
Please welcome Rosamund Pike to the Wheel of Time family. Say hello to Moiraine. #WoTWednesday pic.twitter.com/577Hffwy6Y
— The Wheel Of Time (@TheWheelOfTime) June 19, 2019
English actress Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) has been cast to play Moiraine, together with a cast of mostly unknown actors slotted in other crucial roles. Jordan’s complex mythology is centered on a seven-spoke Wheel of Time operating on a kind of Star Warsian “Force” that can be used by uniquely-endowed people called ‘channelers.’ The conflict weaves through different eras of time as the conflicted Rand al’Thor and company battle to prevent Shai’tan (the ‘Dark One’) from consuming the world with its evil.
The first novel in The Wheel of Time series is The Eye of the World, published in 1990. Thirteen more installments followed, with the last three being written by author Brandon Sanderson to complete the saga after Jordan’s death in 2007. It has been one of the best-selling epic fantasy series since The Lord of the Rings, and recent polling reveals that Wheel is Amazon’s most highly anticipated upcoming show. No release date has yet to be announced, but probably expect it sometime in 2021.
Potential: Again, this is another sprawling fantasy epic with a titanic price tag that has the potential to either conquer the TV universe or fail in the most public and humiliating fashion imaginable.