The Wheel of Time has announced the addition of three new actors to their season 2 cast. The series is currently releasing its first season, which airs episodes every Friday on Amazon Prime. The second season renewal came back in May 2021, long before the premiere, indicating Amazon is willing to invest in the high fantasy drama.
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai, an organization of women who can use magic, and her quest to discover the Dragon, a reincarnation of a being of power, destined to save the world or destroy it. The Dragon also sealed away The Forsaken, the main villains of the source material. The Wheel of Time is based on a series of novels of the same name by Robert Jordan, with additional work by Brandon Sanderson. The series stars Oscar nominee Rosamund Pike, as well as Daniel Henney, Zoe Robins, and Madeleine Madden.
In an exclusive for Deadline, the series announced that for season 2, Guy Roberts, Arnas Fedaravicius, and Gregg Chillingirian have been cast as Uno Nomesta, Masema, and Ingtar Shinowa respectively, the former two being soldiers of Lord Agelmar, and the latter a lord from war-ravaged lands. Roberts is known for his work as the founder and artistic director of the Prague Shakespeare Company. Fedaravicius was previously seen in The Last Kingdom, which will air its final season in 2022. Chillingirian features on A Discovery of Witches, also airing its final season in 2022.
The first season of The Wheel of Time has done a lot of worldbuilding already, borrowing heavily from The Wheel of Time books for plot points and character work. The adaptation is headed by showrunner Rafe Judkins, previously known for his work on Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. The series has received positive reviews from critics, with many citing the ease for new fans to understand what's happening without the book's context.
The Wheel of Time is one of several high fantasy shows to premiere recently, with Locke & Key, The Witcher, and Shadow & Bone all recently coming to TV. This indicates that networks and fans are trying to find a worthy successor to Game of Thrones' behemoth success, which left many feeling under-served with its final season. Though not immediately receiving the acclaim Game of Thrones did in its first season, with enough patience and mindfulness in adapting the books, The Wheel of Time could prove to be a worthy adaptation of the classic source material.
Source: Deadline