Before it debuted on the streaming site, The Wheel of Time, an Amazon fantasy series, received a season 2 renewal. Here is what is now known about what to anticipate when it returns.
Since Game of Thrones ended, we had been missing a high-concept political fantasy world with a much-needed female twist. The Wheel of Time season 1 filled that void. The first season’s eight well-paced episodes were jam-packed with story and worldbuilding. Along with dragons, magic, and fighters (but not that kind, not yet anyway). What may the premiere of The Wheel of Time season 2 bring?
There are 14 volumes in the series by author Robert Jordan, so showrunner Rafe Judkins has enough to choose from when crafting his interpretation of the narrative. We left the series with a few unanswered concerns, like how could Egwene (Madeleine Madden) revive Nyneave (Zo Robins) after she had seemingly died. What will happen to Josh Stradowski’s Rand, the dragon reborn? Where is Mat, played by Barney Harris? And when Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) lost contact with One Power, would she be able to rekindle her relationship with Lan (Daniel Henney)?
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The Wheel of Time Season 2 Cast
There will be several new and extended characters in The Wheel of Time season 2, as well as a casting shift. Mat will no longer be played by Barney Harris; there are many theories as to why, but none of them have received official confirmation from any source.
Dónal Finn, who you may recognize from The Witcher or How to Build a Girl, will take Harris’ position. Other characters, such as Guy Roberts’ Uno Nomesta, the soldier with one eye at the conclusion of the last season, will play recurrent roles. A soldier turned prophet named Masema Dagar is also included to the cast as Arnas Fedaravicius (The Last Kingdom).
Elayne Trakand will be played by Young Wallander star Ceara Coveney. She is an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, a strong channeler who was born into a royal family. She will be accompanied by the as-yet unidentified characters Meera Syal (Yesterday, The Kumars), and Natasha O’Keefe (Peaky Blinders).
Hammed Animashaun will undoubtedly reprise his role as Local, according to Rafe Judkins in an interview with Deadline. This delightful Ogier, a favorite of the audience, was filming in Prague with the rest of the ensemble, but his fate was unknown.
However, it has been established that a few characters who do not pass away in the novels will do so in the series. Therefore, even book lovers may be in for some shocks. Judkins has stated that he would want to see the program go for eight seasons, which may or may not allow them to cover the major plotlines of Robert Jordan’s fourteen books.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 Plot
The first episode’s name is “A Taste of Solitude,” according to a post from The Wheels of Time’s official Twitter account. This is the title of a chapter in the sixth volume of the series.
On the Empire Spoiler Special Film Podcast, Rafe Judkins stated that Season 2 will incorporate storylines from Books Two, “The Great Hunt,” and Three, “The Dragon Reborn.”
These won’t directly follow the novels, but rather they’ll be woven to better match the TV format. The eight-episode structure of the first season will be repeated in this one. Since Moiraine and Lan only appear in one chapter of book two, they have also had to bulk out their appearances in comparison to the novels. This would be unfair to Rosamund Pike and Daniel Henney’s abilities and attractiveness.
Along with Brandon Sanderson, a co-author on the final three novels, and Robert Jordan’s widow, Harriet, Judkins discussed how he revised several aspects of the first book’s finale in an interview with Nerdist. Possibly to enhance the narrative and produce something that Jordan would have liked.
The plot was altered to give the other actors more to do, share some of his struggle in the decisive battle, and have it all occur at once. This raises the issue of whether and how the five possible dragons will reunite in the upcoming season.
Whether we shall see more of the planet from 3,000 years ago, when the initial prophecies were made, is another very important topic. In the frigid opening of episode 8, a futuristic society with flying cars—more science fiction than fantasy—is briefly seen. Will the series continue to depict this reality more? And how did they get from there to the current situation?
Where to watch The Wheel of Time Season 2?
The Wheel of Time is only available on Prime Video, much like the first season.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 Release Date
The fantasy series’ return date is unknown, although season 2 of The Wheel of Time might premiere at any point between November 2022 and early 2023. The series began filming in July 2021, and showrunner Rafe Judkins has already teased us with a few nuggets to whet our appetites for what lies ahead.
Season 2’s filming was completed in May 2022, and given the size of the program, we anticipate the editing process to take some time. An average estimate for the post-production phase is at least six months.
