Amazon Cancels 'Wheel of Time' After Three Seasons, Story Left Unfinished

The Wheel of Time series has come to an abrupt halt on Prime Video after Amazon decided not to renew it for a fourth season following the conclusion of Season 3. According to Deadline, the decision came after "lengthy deliberations," with executives expressing fondness for the show but ultimately deeming it financially unfeasible.

The Wheel of Time, adapted from Robert Jordan's beloved fantasy novels, stars Rosamund Pike among other talents. The first two seasons stirred controversy among fans due to significant deviations from the original books. However, Season 3 managed to win over the majority of the fanbase, setting the stage for what many hoped would be even greater achievements.

The cancellation comes as a significant blow to fans, especially with much of The Wheel of Time's epic narrative yet to be explored. Many felt the series was just hitting its stride.

Financial considerations appear to have been the deciding factor. The high production costs of The Wheel of Time, a co-production between Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios—the latter also behind the costly The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power—proved too steep. As Deadline reported:

... the Season 3 overall performance was not strong enough compared to the show’s cost for Prime Video to commit to another season and the streamer could not make it work after examining different scenarios and following discussions with lead studio Sony TV, sources said.

IGN's review of The Wheel of Time Season 3 awarded it an 8/10, praising the season for finally realizing its full potential: "The Wheel of Time finally achieves its full potential in season 3, which is filled with rich characters finding their place in Robert Jordan’s complex fantasy world."

While the television adaptation has ended, fans of The Wheel of Time can look forward to a new 'AAA Open-World RPG' game. IGN had the opportunity to interview iwot Studios, the rights holder for The Wheel of Time, to delve deeper into this upcoming project.