First look at Rosamund Pike’s new fantasy epic about a magic matriarchal kingdom
Rosamund Pike stars as Moiraine in upcoming fantasy series Wheel of Time. (Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios)
Amazon has unveiled the first-look at its upcoming fantasy series Wheel of Time – and it looks pretty epic.
Based on the novel series of the same name, the story of Wheel of Time takes place in a female-dominated society.
Originally penned by Robert Jordan across 15 novels, the television adaption is premiering this November on Amazon Prime Video.
It’s been described as a cross between Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings that flips the often male-centered genre on its head.
In Wheel of Time, the largest kingdom is ruled by a queen who will pass her crown to her daughter rather than her son, while uneasy peace is maintained by the female-only mystic order known as the Aes Sedai.
This group is headed by Moiraine, played by Rosamund Pike, who rescues a handful of villagers after monsters attack their community of Two Rivers and takes them around the world.
Wheel of Time follows the Aes Sedai who hunt down men suspected of using magic. (Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios)
She is described as “the mysterious stranger who comes to town and changes their lives forever, by Pike who adds, “they leave with her on a journey that will either save or destroy humanity”.
Any man capable of using magic is hunted down by the Aes Sedai and stripped of his abilities, including Logain (pictured above), a man capable of channeling the mighty “One Power” and attempts to assert himself as the reincarnation of the Dragon.
Showrunner Rafe Judkins told Entertainment Weekly: “Just as men are often trying to shut down female power in our world, the Aes Sedai are trying to stop this man from becoming too powerful.”
The epic fantasy series is based on Robert Jordan’s novel of the same name. (Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios)
Judkins also says the series is unlike anything audiences have seen in the genre before as it dives “into multiple POV characters […] with each of them having their own agendas and approaches to everything”.
“That’s always felt to me like the missing piece of the fantasy-literature landscape that hasn’t been brought to TV or film yet,” he adds.
The series will focus on different POVs of the ensemble of characters. (Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios)
Amazon has already confirmed that the show has been renewed for a second season – despite the first not having even aired yet.
So with 15 novels to explore, there’s plenty more to come in what could be the next big fantasy series everyone’s talking about.
You can find out how to stream the much-anticipated fantasy epic series below.
How to stream Wheel of Time
The series is premiering worldwide on Amazon Prime Video in November 2021, with an exact air date yet to be announced.
You’ll be able to stream the series with an Prime Video membership which comes with a 30-day free trial and then costs £7.99 per month or £79.99 per year.
To sign up and find out more go to amazon.co.uk/primevideo.
Plus the streaming service will also be home to the upcoming television adaption of fellow fantasy novel series Lord of the Rings, due for release in 2022.
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