Prime Video will not be renewing The Wheel of Time for a fourth season. The decision, which comes more than a month after the Season 3 finale was released April 17, followed lengthy deliberations. As often is the case in the current economic environment, the reasons were financial as the series is liked creatively by the streamer’s executives.
The TV adaptation of the book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, co-produced by Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios, is a high-end, pricey fantasy drama, which ushered in the genre on Prime Video, later joined by The Lord Of the Rings: The Rings Of Power.
Starring Rosamund Pike, The Wheel Of Time got off to a strong start in 2021 as Prime Video’s most watched series premiere of the year and one of the platform’s Top 5 series launches of all time.
Three seasons in, the series has remained a solid performer but its viewership has slipped, with the fantasy drama dropping out of Nielsen’s Top 10 Originals chart after the first three weeks of Season 3 while staying on the list for the entire runs the previous two seasons. (The Wheel of Time was back on the Originals ranker for the week after the Season 3 finale at #10.)
The Nielsen rankings reflect U.S. viewership. Streaming renewal decisions are made based on how a show does around the world, and The Wheel of Time is a global title. It did rank as #1 on Prime Video in multiple countries with the most recent season. Still, 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.
With the cancellation possibility — and the show’s passionate fanbase — in mind, the Season 3 finale was designed to offer some closure.
Still, the news would be a gut punch for fans who have been praising the latest season as the series’ best yet creatively. Prime Video executives also have spoken of the show getting better creatively every season, which is supported by critics as Season 3 ranks 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, up from 86% for Season 2 and 81% for Season 1.
Prime Video and Sony TV will continue to back the Emmy campaign for The Wheel of Time‘s third season.
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