For anyone who missed the news, it was reported recently that Amazon has ordered The Wheel of Time, a new series based on the Robert Jordan book series of the same name.

While exciting news for fans, they will no doubt take it with a massive grain of salt. Adaptations of Jordan’s book series have been in the works for a very long time, including a movie adaptation at Universal a decade ago. But things haven’t worked out, for a variety of reasons including legal complications. Will this be the one?

This latest attempt at adapting the series, which consists of 14 fairly large tomes and a prequel, has been slowly but surely progressing forward for two years now. We first heard about it back in May of 2016, when Harriet McDougal, the late Jordan’s widow and editor revealed that a “cutting edge TV series” was on the way. Since then pieces have slowly fallen into place leading up to the news that Amazon has given the project a series order.

Here’s an official description of Amazon’s The Wheel of Time:

The Wheel of Time is set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists, but only women can use it. Meaning that in this series “” women hold the keys to power. The story follows Moiraine, a member of the shadowy and influential all-female organization called the “˜Aes Sedai’ as she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women. Moiraine’s interested in these five because she believes one of them might be the reincarnation of an incredibly powerful individual, whom prophecies say will either save humanity or destroy it. The series draws on numerous elements of European and Asian culture and philosophy, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Chuck writer and Hemlock Grove and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. writer and producer Rafe Judkins is set to write and executive produce the series, and will also serve as showrunner. He had this to say about the news:

Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke also released a statement, saying:

The news comes as a bit of a surprise considering that Amazon is already heavily invested in that massive Lord of the Rings project. But the genre is hot right now, and many are looking to deliver the next big thing.

In addition to Amazon’s two fantasy series, Netflix is countering with The Chronicles of Narnia and The Witcher series. And if that wasn’t enough, Lionsgate has ambitious adaptation plans for “The Kingkiller Chronicle” books by Patrick Rothfuss.

One of the driving forces in this fantasy boom is the success of HBO’s Game of Thrones, which they all hope to replicate. That series is heading into its final season, but HBO isn’t going to sit back and watch these other fantasy series take over. They have multiple Thrones spinoffs currently in development, as well.

Whether you’re excited for just one or all of these projects currently in development, one thing has certainly been solidified: this is a hell of a freakin’ time to be alive if you’re a fantasy fan.

[Source: TV Line]

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