Amazon Orders Female-Driven Fantasy Series ‘The Wheel of Time’
Amazon Studios has ordered “The Wheel of Time,” an action fantasy series based on Robert Jordan’s bestselling fantasy novels, which have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide. Rafe Judkins (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) adapted the material into a series and serves as showrunner.
Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television are co-producing the series, which was announced by Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon Studios, at a show-and-tell in London on Tuesday. “The Wheel of Time” will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video.
Set in an epic world where magic exists but only women can use it, “The Wheel of Time” follows Moiraine, a member of the shadowy and influential all-female organization called the “Aes Sedai,” as she embarks on a dangerous journey with five young men and women across the world. Moiraine is interested in these five “because she believes one of them might be the reincarnation of an incredibly powerful individual, who prophecies say will either save humanity or destroy it,” Amazon said in a statement.
The series draws on numerous elements of European and Asian culture and philosophy, especially Buddhism and Hinduism.
“‘The Wheel of Time’ is endlessly fascinating and resonates hugely with fans as one of the bestselling global book franchises and we were drawn to its timely narrative featuring powerful women at the core,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “We’re thrilled to extend our relationship with devotees who’ve found the book series transformative and welcome new ones by bringing it to life on Prime Video for viewers worldwide.”
Sony Pictures Television’s Chris Parnell said Judkins was a “brilliant visionary” and “a true fan of the books.”
Judkins, who is also executive producing the series, said that for “so many people, including me, this book series has served as a world to escape to, to lose yourself in, to devour and inhabit completely. And I couldn’t be more honored to be the one finally bringing that world to life on screen, for old fans to lose themselves in all over again and new fans to discover for the very first time.”
The series is exec produced by Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon of Red Eagle Entertainment, Ted Field and Mike Weber of Radar Pictures (“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”) and Darren Lemke (“Shrek Forever After”). Harriet McDougal is a consulting producer.
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