Wheel of Time Showrunner Hopes for Revival After Strong Viewership

While The Wheel of Time appears to have reached its end after Amazon canceled the series following Season 3, showrunner Rafe Judkins has pointed to The Expanse as a reason for hope that it could still be revived.

The Wheel of Time is based on Robert Jordan's beloved fantasy book series, with Rosamund Pike leading the cast. After two uneven seasons that drew criticism from book fans for deviating from the source material, Season 3 managed to win over the fanbase and seemed to position the show for even stronger future storytelling.

However, last month brought the news that Prime Video had decided not to renew The Wheel of Time for a fourth season following what Deadline described as "lengthy deliberations." Reports indicated that while executives appreciated the show, they couldn't justify its financial viability moving forward.

Brandon Sanderson, who completed Jordan's Wheel of Time book series, shared his perspective on the cancellation, stating: "I do think it's unfortunate, because despite my own reservations about the adaptation, it had developed a dedicated audience that deserved better than cancellation after its strongest season. I won't miss being largely excluded from the process; they wanted my name attached for credibility but didn't genuinely involve me in meaningful decisions."

Showrunner Rafe Judkins has now broken his silence on the matter. In a social media statement, Judkins acknowledged he couldn't provide "a simple, straightforward explanation" for the cancellation but emphasized that The Wheel of Time attracted "massive viewership worldwide." He cited Nielsen data to support this claim, noting the series appeared in the Nielsen Top 10 chart for nearly 20 weeks—"an achievement very few television programs have matched in recent years."

Judkins further explained that he and the creative team had committed to adapting the complete Wheel of Time narrative from the books, and not being able to fulfill this vision "feels like a crushing disappointment for everyone involved."

He expressed concern about what he termed the "industry trend toward shorter seasons with fewer episodes and the push for rapid subscriber acquisition," arguing this approach "undermines television's core strength—long-form narrative storytelling."

As of this writing, more than 130,000 supporters have signed an online petition urging networks to "Save The Wheel of Time." Petition organizers state on their website: "Complete the adaptation. This story deserves to be fully told!" Realistically, these appeals may go unanswered. While some fans speculate Apple might acquire The Wheel of Time for Apple TV+, given their existing portfolio of high-budget science fiction and fantasy series, this possibility seems optimistic at best.

Nevertheless, Judkins voiced cautious optimism that another platform might eventually rescue The Wheel of Time. He referenced the science fiction series The Expanse, which SYFY canceled before Amazon stepped in to continue and conclude the story.

"So what does the future hold?" Judkins concluded. "Maybe the Wheel of Time television adaptation will accomplish what the books have consistently done from the very beginning—transcend conventional notions of 'beginnings' and 'endings.' I truly hope it does, because this literary series and its devoted readers deserve to experience the complete narrative journey."

These comments arrive alongside a new report indicating that The Wheel of Time is not currently being pitched to other streaming services. TVLine stated its "reliable sources" confirmed this development, which will undoubtedly disappoint viewers hoping for at least a fourth season.

Below is Rafe Judkins' complete statement:

I’ve been asked the same question repeatedly over the past week—why was The Wheel of Time canceled? The honest answer is, I don't know. I wish I could provide a clear, concise explanation that makes sense to everyone who loved the series, but unfortunately, I cannot.

What I can affirm is that the cast and crew of our show represent the most skilled and wonderful group of professionals I've ever collaborated with. We've all been extraordinarily fortunate to create something that not only resonated deeply with fans (and even critics!) but also reached enormous global audiences—ranking in the Nielsen Top 10 for nearly 20 weeks, an accomplishment very few series have achieved in the last ten years.

From the initial development stages, one of my central objectives has been to tell the complete story. The Wheel of Time novels excel at what television does best—growing richer and more compelling over time. As our cast and team became more invested, they too recognized the tremendous potential if we could see this remarkable story through to its conclusion. We made numerous sacrifices, both personal and creative, throughout this journey toward that ending, so falling short now feels devastating for our entire team.

Much has been written about the broader television industry's shift toward fewer seasons with reduced episode counts and the pursuit of rapid streaming subscriber growth. However, I firmly believe this direction contradicts television's fundamental strength—long-form narrative storytelling. Television is an art form, much like epic fantasy literature, that at its finest provides audiences with a destination where they can revisit beloved characters season after season. I'm confident there are executives, studios, and networks who recognize this truth. I believe we will navigate through this current industry phase and return to what we do best—bringing compelling characters into viewers' homes and lives week after week.

Will The Wheel of Time get that opportunity with another network and complete its story? Unfortunately, such rescues are uncommon. But they do occur. In fact, one reason we initially selected Amazon as our platform was because they were in the process of reviving The Expanse after SYFY had canceled it.

So what possibilities remain? Perhaps the Wheel of Time television series will accomplish what the books have consistently done from their inception—defy traditional definitions of "beginnings" and "endings." I sincerely hope it does, because this extraordinary book series and its passionate fans deserve to witness the story brought to its proper conclusion.