The Wheel of Time producers compare season 2 to Gladiator: "One of the biggest battles ever"
The Wheel of Time season 2 is set to feature "one of the biggest battles ever", say producers Marigo Kehoe and Sanaa Hamri. It'll also be reminiscent of epic historical dramas like Cleopatra and Gladiator too, apparently, which has boosted our already existing excitement...
In the upcoming issue of SFX magazine, which features upcoming animated movie Babylon 5: The Road Home on the cover, the duo briefly touched on the season 2 finale, and suggested that it "will take the series to new heights" in terms of stakes, stunts, and spectacle.
"There are times when I had six cameras going at the same time," Hamri, who also acts as the second season's primary director said. "When I met with [showrunner] Rafe [Judkins], we talked about the vision for season two and about more action, more deep, nuanced character work, as well as strong imagery. When you have a great season one base, you can really jump off of that and take some really great visual chances, and also within the acting of it all."
If the season 2 trailer is anything to go by, we don't doubt that it's more cinematic than its opening chapter. Season 1 not only had a lot of characters to establish but a lot of world-building and lore, too, to ensure it played just as well for those who haven't read the Robert Jordan books in which its based as it did established fans.
Released in November 2021, it saw Rosamund Pike's Moiraine, a powerful magic wielder, seek out several youngsters linked to a potentially world-ending prophecy. In it, it's written that a reincarnation of the Dragon, a man who was once corrupted by the One Power and used it to destroy everything, unknowingly walks among them. When they discover their channeling abilities, said Dragon Reborn will either help Moiraine and the other Aes Sedai to take down the Dark One... or break the world again.
In the season 1 finale, it was revealed that Rand (Josha Stradowski) is the Dragon Reborn, so we can assume that the follow-up will center largely on him wrestling with that newfound information – and his brewing inner darkness. Daniel Henney, Sophie Okonedo, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden, and Marcus Rutherford all reprise their roles, while Ceara Coveney, Dónal Finn, and Peaky Blinders' Natasha O'Keefe join the cast in the new episodes.
The Wheel of Time season 2 premieres on September 1. If fantasy isn't your thing, check out our list of the best shows on Amazon Prime for some viewing inspiration.
Not a subscriber to SFX? Then head on over here to get the latest issues sent directly to your home/device!
That's just a snippet of our interview, available in the latest issue of SFX Magazine, which features animated movie Babylon 5: The Road Home on the cover, which you can check out below, and is available on newsstands from Wednesday, August 9. For even more from SFX, sign up to the newsletter, sending all the latest exclusives straight to your inbox.
