The Wheel of Time boss rejects Game of Thrones comparisons

Regardless of how you feel about its final season, HBO’s Game of Thrones set the gold standard for what a fantasy adaptation should be. And since it concluded, various networks have poured money into new fantasy projects in order to replicate its success, to create “the next Game of Thrones,” as it were. There are already examples of this, from Netflix’s The Witcher to Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings. But if you ask the showrunner of Amazon’s latest fantasy foray The Wheel of Time, no comparisons should be made because “we’re not trying to be Thrones.”

Not only does The Wheel of Time predate Game of Thrones in terms of publication, but the story itself is arguably more comparable to The Lord of the Rings than to Martin’s epic saga. However, when viewers see a show rife with magic, swords, and an ensemble cast, it’s only a matter of time before Thrones enters the chat.

Speaking on the Ringer-Verse podcast, showrunner Rafe Judkins explained why he believes The Wheel of Time should stand on its own feet instead of on the shoulders of the HBO giant. “This show and the books are not like Game of Thrones. I said that to Amazon right up front,” he said. “I was like, ‘If you are looking for the next Game of Thrones, this isn’t it. What I’m gonna pitch you is a series that is really different.'”

"I think when people say they’re looking for the next Game of Thrones, often they mean something that pops the cultural bubble and exists in a hugely global space. I think the next thing that does that will be a totally different kind of show."

In adapting The Wheel of Time, Judkins took great inspiration from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’s series but knew his adaptation would go in a different direction. “I loved the Thrones books and loved the adaptation, too,” he said. “I was like, ‘I love this, but it’s not what this is and I’m not gonna make it this, so if we engage in this together, do it knowing that you’re bringing something else that’s really amazing to life.”

The Wheel of Time has the right idea separating itself from Game of Thrones

Obviously, this is a healthy way to approach the show. As much as Jeff Bezos wants his own Game of Thrones, The Wheel of Time stands on its own. And then Amazon is also making a Lord of the Rings prequel series, and people will surely ask the same kinds of questions when that comes out. As always, the wheel keeps turning, and new fantasy shows come and go — but which ones will become legendary?

The first season of The Wheel of Time is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, with a second season already in development.

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