Amazon Prime Video has announced it’s ending The Wheel of Time after Season 3, leaving the story unfinished and upsetting many fans. The show, based on Robert Jordan’s popular book series, features Rosamund Pike and brings a big fantasy world to life.
The cancelation happened after Amazon and Sony Pictures TV, who worked on the show together, couldn’t agree on continuing it. Reports say the show cost too much to make and didn’t make enough money to cover costs.
While the first two seasons faced criticism for straying too far from the books, Season 3 won praise for finally feeling closer to the original story. Even with better reviews and more fans, Amazon decided the show was too expensive to keep going.
Fans are angry because Season 3 ended with many loose ends, and they’ll never see how the story was meant to wrap up.
Season 3’s Critical Triumph Couldn’t Save the Show From Amazon’s Axe
Despite The Wheel of Time finally hitting its stride in Season 3—earning a stellar 97% Rotten Tomatoes score and praise for capturing the depth of Robert Jordan’s books—Amazon Prime Video pulled the plug. Fans and critics alike hailed Season 3 as a breakthrough, with standout performances from Rosamund Pike and Josha Stradowski, who began to embody Rand al’Thor’s complex journey.
Showrunner Rafe Judkins had even structured the finale to set up future storylines, including major reveals in the Aiel Waste and Tanchico, but Amazon deemed the show’s soaring costs ($10M+ per episode) unsustainable compared to its viewership numbers . The cancellation stunned audiences, especially after Season 3’s finale drew global #1 rankings on Prime Video in multiple countries—proof that the series was gaining momentum, not losing it .
Amazon’s Fantasy Budget War: The Rings of Power Crushed The Wheel of Time
Behind the scenes, The Wheel of Time faced an uphill battle against Amazon’s $1 billion Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Internal reports reveal Amazon prioritized its Tolkien adaptation, diverting resources and marketing muscle away from Wheel of Time. While both shows struggled to match Game of Thrones-level cultural dominance, Rings of Power secured a guaranteed five-season run, leaving Wheel of Time to fight for scraps.
Fans have since blasted Amazon for favoring a flashy prequel over a story that had just begun to resonate, with one viewer tweeting: “Canceling Wheel of Time but funding The Summer I Turned Pretty? Wallahi, people should lose their jobs!” . The move highlights streaming’s ruthless economics: even beloved shows falter against corporate tentpoles.
Unfinished Stories and a Gaming Lifeline: What’s Next for the Franchise?
With the TV saga cut short, fans are clinging to hope for closure through a Wheel of Time “AAA open-world RPG” in development. Iwot Studios, which holds the rights, promises the game will expand Jordan’s universe, though details remain scarce . Meanwhile, petitions demanding Season 4 have amassed over 150,000 signatures, and social media campaigns like #SaveWoT trended globally after the cancellation news. Some speculate Netflix or another streamer could revive the series, but insiders note the high budget ($80M+ per season) makes it a long shot . For now, the show’s unresolved arcs—like Rand’s battle between Light and Darkness—will linger, leaving book purists and new viewers alike in limbo.
Final Thoughts
The Wheel of Time’s abrupt end underscores a harsh reality for epic fantasy adaptations: even critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase can’t always offset corporate budget calculus. Amazon’s gamble on competing with Game of Thrones has left multiple stories half-told, and Wheel of Time joins a growing list of casualties (e.g., The Nevers, Warrior Nun) sacrificed to streaming’s financial whims. While the upcoming game offers a flicker of hope, the cancellation serves as a cautionary tale—fantasy TV’s golden age risks becoming an era of unfinished symphonies. As Rafe Judkins lamented, “Television’s strength is longform storytelling… we should be finishing these stories” . For now, the Wheel has stopped turning, leaving fans to mourn what might have been.