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On November 19, Amazon Prime Video will premiere The Wheel of Time, an epic fantasy series adapted from Robert Jordan's novel series of the same name. It stars Rosamund Pike and Josha Stradowski in lead roles.
Set in a fantasy world where magic exists, but only some can access it, a woman named Moiraine crosses paths with five young men and women and goes on a dangerous journey spanning the world.
Here are five facts to know about The Wheel of Time before it airs.
1) Is 'The Wheel of Time' the next 'GoT'?
Every new fantasy series is expected to live up or better the standards set by Game of Thrones. Set in a fantasy universe with elements of magic and the supernatural, The Wheel of Time has a pre-existing fanbase and a dense universe with the potential to challenge Game of Thrones.
2) Rosamund Pike
Rosamund Pike is a versatile actor and there is no genre that she has not touched in her acting career. From playing the psychopath in Gone Girl to starring in action thrillers like Jack Reacher, Pike has done it all. It will be interesting to see what she brings to the table in this fantasy series as the lead character Moiraine.
3) An adaptation of a huge canon
The Wheel of Time was originally a series of novels by American author Robert Jordan, and co-authored by Brandon Sanderson. It was originally planned as a six-book series, but ultimately ended up spanning 14 volumes, in addition to a prequel novel and two companion books.
Jordan began writing the first volume, The Eye of the World, in 1984, and it was published in January 1990. However, he died before he could complete the series, and the baton was passed on to Sanderson, who wrote the last three volumes of this series.
4) The Gender question
The Wheel of Time features a fantasy world where magic is almost exclusively used by women. However there’s a legend of a male sorcerer who will be reborn to fight and defeat the Dark One, a God of evil and desolation. That sorcerer is called the Dragon.
The first time the Dragon stopped the Dark One, the Dark One poisoned the male side of the One Power, causing him and other male channelers to go mad and destroy the world. The Dragon Reborn is prophesized to finally imprison the Dark One for good, but also to ravage the world a second time because he’ll be tainted by the same corrupted magic.
The show’s official synopsis reads:
"Moiraine embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn."
It implies that two women, Egwene and Nyneave, are also considered possible reincarnations. This should have massive ramifications for how the show will approach the question of gender.
5) A virtual adventure
Many fantasy series fail because they are unable to realize the fantasy universe as well as may be expected. However, that is not the case with The Wheel of Time. With an estimated $10 million budget per episode, it raises the bar in terms of what can be accomplished in a technical sense. With fantastical sets and backdrops, the show creates an impressive spectacle.
The Wheel of Time will stream on Amazon Prime from November 19.
