Why Did 'The Wheel of Time' Recast Mat Cauthon?
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine in 'The Wheel of Time.'
Casual fantasy fans may have thought Game of Thrones was complicated with all of its characters, locations, and religions, but it’s got nothing on The Wheel of Time. Based on Robert Jordan’s book series of the same name, the Prime Video show takes place in a world where women called Aes Sedai are able to channel a source of magic called the One Power. One of them, Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), is looking for a person known as the Dragon Reborn, a prophesied hero who will either save the world or destroy it—and those are just two characters among, no joke, thousands.
“There was just something undeniable about the material and the fan base. I explored the world deeper and saw that it was written with this very strong element of a female power structure, which I thought was very interesting,” Pike told Entertainment Weekly in November 2021, explaining what drew her to this extraordinarily complex series. “[Jordan] created this world where there had been a power that was shared by men and women alike, but men had abused that power and it had been corrupted and taken away from them, whereas women were still in possession of it. I thought that was very interesting and allegorical.”
Season 2 will only get more complicated with the introduction of new characters and villains, but Pike has faith that fans are ready to come along for the ride. “These books are Biblical in scope. Even now, I re-read bits to get my head around the legends and the prophecies and the folklore that underpins all the stories of our central characters,” she told TVLine. “So we hope that, going into Season 2, fans will have the gist of our world, and we can take flight and we don’t have to go over all the rules again.”
Keep reading for a full breakdown of everything we know about The Wheel of Time Season 2.
Related: 30 Shows Like 'Game of Thrones'
How did Season 1 of The Wheel of Time end?
When Season 1 ended, a whole lot was happening with Moiraine and the gang. Moiraine was cut off from the Source, leaving her powerless to help Rand (Josha Stradowski) as he battled Ishamael (Fares Fares) in his mind. Rand, meanwhile, overcame Ishamael’s tempting visions and used the One Power to break the cuendillar seal, which should have been impossible.
Elsewhere, Egwene (Madeleine Madden), Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) and Lady Amalisa (Sandra Yi Sencindiver) teamed up to fight off an army of Trollocs at Tarwin’s Gap. Padan Fain (Johann Myers) stole the Horn of Valere—and he also has the ruby dagger that Mat Cauthon (played by Barney Harris in Season 1 and Dónal Finn in Season 2) stole from Shadar Logoth.
Perhaps most importantly, viewers saw the arrival of a mysterious fleet sailing toward our heroes. As book readers know, these people are the Seanchan, and they are not good news. They think women who can channel—like Moiraine—should be kept chained up and used only as weapons.
What is The Wheel of Time Season 2 about?
The Wheel of Time is based on Robert Jordan’s sprawling high fantasy series of the same name, which includes 14 books and one prequel novel. (Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson completed the last three books in the saga after Jordan’s death in 2007.) While Season 1 mostly followed the events of the first book, The Eye of the World, Season 2 will draw inspiration from the second book, The Great Hunt.
Rosamund Pike, who plays Moiraine, hinted that the Seanchan are going to cause major problems in Season 2. “This time, our villains will not just be wordless,” she told TVLine. “However frightening the Trollocs were, they can’t engage in verbal combat, and we have villains in this season who are terrifying in their cold-bloodedness.”
Which The Wheel of Time book is Season 2 based on?
Season 2 will mostly follow the events of The Great Hunt, which is the second installment in Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. Showrunner Rafe Judkins has also said that Season 2 will incorporate elements of the third book, The Dragon Reborn. “In Season 2 we want each of the characters to face the darkness within themselves,” he told Nerdist in December 2021.
Is there a trailer for The Wheel of Time Season 2?
Prime Video released a full trailer for Season 2 in July 2023. The clip focuses a lot on the threat of the Seanchan, who want to channel the One Power by enslaving Aes Sedai like Moiraine. Rand, meanwhile, is struggling as the Dragon Reborn—the man who will either save the world or completely destroy it.
Who is in the The Wheel of Time Season 2 cast?
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
Jan Thisj/Prime Video
Rosamund Pike is back to anchor the series as Moiraine, an Aes Sedai channeler who may or may not have lost her powers in Season 1. Prior to The Wheel of Time, Pike was most recently seen in the movie I Care a Lot. Later in 2023, she’s set to appear in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn.
Josha Stradowski as Rand al'Thor
Jan Thijs/Prime Video
Josha Stradowski will return as Rand al’Thor, aka the Dragon Reborn. Between Wheel of Time seasons, Stradowski starred in the 2023 big-screen adaptation of video game Gran Turismo.
Related: The True Story Behind 'Gran Turismo'
Daniel Henney as al'Lan Mandragoran
Jan Thisj/Prime Video
Daniel Henney is set to return as Moiraine’s companion al'Lan Mandragoran. Earlier in 2023, he appeared in the thriller Missing. From 2015 to 2020, he played Matt Simmons on Criminal Minds and spinoff series Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
Álvaro Morte as Logain Ablar
Jan Thisj/Prime Video
Álvaro Morte reprises his role as False Dragon Logain Ablar. From 2017 to 2021, he played El Profesor on Money Heist.
Johann Myers as Padan Fain
Johann Myers, who plays Padan Fain, has previously appeared in Small Axe, Tribes of Europa and Somewhere Boy.
Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al'Meara
Before landing the role of Nynaeve on The Wheel of Time, Zoë Robins flexed her fantasy muscle on MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles. In 2019, she appeared in the reboot of holiday horror classic Black Christmas.
Madeleine Madden as Egwene al'Vere
Jan Thijs/Prime Video
Australian actress Madeleine Madden has previously starred in Tidelands, Dora and the Lost City of Gold and Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
Jan Thisj/Prime Video
Prior to his turn as Perrin—who will have golden eyes in Season 2—Marcus Rutherford starred in Bulletproof and County Lines.
Dónal Finn as Mat Cauthon
In a major casting change, Mat Cauthon will now be played by Dónal Finn instead of Barney Harris, who starred as the character in Season 1. Finn previously appeared in The Witcher and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Sophie Okonedo as Siuan Sanche
Sophie Okonedo will return as Siuan Sanche, an Aes Sedai who’s also the lover of Moiraine. Okonedo has most recently appeared in the movies Heart of Stone, Death on the Nile, and Catherine Called Birdy. On TV, she stars as Ingrid Tearney in the Apple TV+ original series Slow Horses.
Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand
Ceara Coveney is new to season 2 as Elayne Trakand, a novice of the White Tower. She previously appeared as Mia in Young Wallander.
Ayoola Smart as Aviendha
Ayoola Smart is also a new face in season 2, playing Aviendha, a Maiden of the Spear. Earlier in 2023, Smart appeared as Officer Reba in Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear. She has also starred in Killing Eve and the 2018 TV adaptation of Les Misérables.
The Wheel of Time has a massive cast. Many of the following Season 1 stars could be back again: Kate Fleetwood, Kae Alexander, Priyanka Bose, Fares Fares, Hammed Animashaun, Alexandre Willaume, Christopher Sciueref, Juliet Howland, Mandi Symonds, Lolita Chakrabarti, Michael Tuahine, David Sterne, Pasha Bocarie, Jennifer K. Preston and Darren Clarke.
Meera Syal and Natasha O'Keeffe have joined the series in undisclosed roles, but Judkins has hinted they are “two of the most important characters.” New cast members also include Maja Simonsen, Ragga Ragnars, Jay Duffy, and Rima Te Wiata.
Why was Mat Cauthon recast on The Wheel of Time?
It unclear why Barney Harris, the British actor who originally played Mat, exited the series. He shot the show's first six episodes before production was shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then did not return. Dónal Finn will play Mat in Season 2.
How many episodes are in The Wheel of Time Season 2?
Like season 1, The Wheel of Time’s second season will consist of eight episodes.
What is The Wheel of Time Season 2 release date?
The first three episodes of Season 2 of The Wheel of Time will premiere on Sept. 1, 2023. Subsequent episodes will debut Fridays on Prime Video.
How to watch The Wheel of Time Season 2
Prime Video subscribers will be able to stream The Wheel of Time Season 2 starting on Sept. 1, 2023.
Will The Wheel of Time Season 2 come to Netflix?
The Wheel of Time is a Prime Video exclusive, so it is unlikely to stream via Netflix.
Will The Wheel of Time Season 2 come to Hulu?
Because The Wheel of Time is a Prime Video production, it probably will not come to Hulu anytime soon.
Next, Like Science Fiction, Too? The 101 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time
