Rosamund Pike to Lead ‘Wheel of Time’ TV Adaptation at Amazon
By Will Thorne
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The long-gestating “Wheel of Time” TV adaptation has finally found its lead.
Rosamund Pike cast been cast as Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, in the Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television co-production.
Based on Robert Jordan’s best-selling fantasy novels, “The ” is set in a high fantasy world where magic exists, but only certain women are allowed to access it. The story follows Moiraine as she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, a powerful individual who will either save humanity or destroy it.
The series draws on numerous elements of European and Asian culture and philosophy, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism.
Pike, who will also produce, recently starred in “State of the Union” alongside Chris O’Dowd. The Sundance TV comedy series consisted of ten 10-minute episodes which pieced together the reasons behind the two characters’ collapsing marriage. Last year she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of journalist Marie Colvin in “A Private War.”
An adaptation of “The Wheel of Time” novels has been in development in one form or another going back as far as 2000, but the projects mostly never made it past that stage. However, a pilot episode called “Winter Dragon” aired on FXX back in February 2015, starring Max Ryan and Billy Zane. It aired at 1:30 a.m. with no prior publicity.
This series was adapted for television by executive producer/showrunner Rafe Judkins, whose previous credits include “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Hemlock Grove.” Executive producers on the series include Larry Mondragon and Rick Selvage of Red Eagle Entertainment, Ted Field and Mike Weber of Radar Pictures, Darren Lemke, Marigo Kehoe and Uta Briesewitz. Briesewitz is also poised to direct the first two episodes. Jordan’s widow Harriet McDougal and Brandon Sanderson will serve as consulting producers.
