The Wheel of Time showrunner Rafe Judkins turned to Game of Thrones' creators for advice on how to make Amazon's foray into the fantasy genre truly epic. The upcoming series is based on Robert Jordan's bestselling 14-book saga about the classic tale of good vs. evil, set in a magical world with intricate lore and detailed characters. Rosamund Pike stars as Moiraine Damodred, a member of the all-female group of magic wielders known as Aes Sedai. The series kicks off as she embarks on a perilous quest to seek out five young people, believing one of them is the promised Dragon Reborn who could defeat The Dark One.
Amazon first announced its plans to bring The Wheel of Time to the screen in 2018. The streaming network spared no expense into its production, assembling a massive cast and spending millions to bring to life Jordan's fantastical world. Filming began in Prague in 2019 but was heavily delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The highly anticipated series is set to debut on November 19, with The Wheel of Time season 2 already confirmed. The series is planned to run for six seasons, attempting to follow the phenomenal success of HBO's Game of Thrones.
Speaking with GQ, Judkins revealed that he actually asked David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the famous duo behind Game of Thrones, for advice while developing The Wheel of Time's pilot episode. Judkins is a veteran screenwriter responsible for hit TV shows such as Chuck and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew that creating an epic fantasy series is a different game, one that Benioff and Weiss have mastered as proven by Game of Thrones' critical success. The two gave Judkins encouraging notes and reminded him to stick to his "vision." Read what they had to say below:
"Just do what you're going to do. You know what this is. You have to believe in it. These kinds of things have to have an extraordinary clarity of vision to work."
Undoubtedly, Game of Thrones changed the landscape of modern television during its eight-season run from 2011 to 2019. The series was praised for its dedicated storytelling, stellar cast, and spectacular cinematography. HBO spent around $6 to $7 million per episode during Game of Thrones season 1, and its budget increased as the show progressed. Amazon intends to top HBO's success with The Wheel of Time, reportedly shelling out $10 million for each of its eight episodes.
Inevitably, there's a lot of comparisons to be drawn between the two fantasy sagas. Like George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, Jordan's The Wheel of Time also incorporates magic, battle scenes, mythical creatures, and larger-than-life characters. To create a TV show this massive is a colossal task that Amazon is clearly up for. With its big-budget production, The Wheel of Time attempts to be the next Game of Thrones in terms of viewership and impact on pop culture. Hopefully, the series lives up to the viewers' high expectations when it premieres next month.
Source: GQ