After three seasons and a global fanbase, The Wheel of Time has reached the end of its journey on Prime Video. The streamer has officially decided not to move forward with a fourth season, despite critical acclaim and a creatively well-received third installment.
The decision comes just over a month after the Season 3 finale dropped on April 17, following what sources say were “lengthy deliberations.” Ultimately, the issue came down to finances. While Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television—who co-produce the series—were creatively on board, the cost of continuing the high-end fantasy drama reportedly outweighed the returns in viewership.
The Wheel of Time was adapted from the best-selling book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson and starred Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred. The cast also included Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Josha Stradowski, Madeleine Madden, Marcus Rutherford, and Sophie Okonedo, among others.
The series debuted in 2021 with a major splash—becoming Prime Video’s most-watched premiere of that year and one of the platform’s all-time Top 5 series launches. It was a landmark for the streamer’s fantasy slate, paving the way for other genre titles like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Even though the third season was praised as the show’s best yet—it holds a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a significant jump from the 86% for Season 2 and 81% for Season 1—viewership didn’t hold. According to Nielsen’s U.S. charts, the series dropped out of the Top 10 Originals list after just three weeks, a noticeable decline from its stronger performance in previous seasons.
Globally, however, the show continued to trend, hitting the #1 spot in multiple countries. Still, it wasn’t enough. After exploring various cost-saving options with Sony, Prime Video opted to close the chapter rather than extend the story further.
Knowing this outcome was a possibility, the creative team designed the Season 3 finale to bring some level of closure—though it’s likely to feel bittersweet for fans who have watched the world-building and character arcs evolve over the years.
The show was led by showrunner and executive producer Rafe Judkins, alongside executive producers Rick Selvage, Larry Mondragon, Ted Field, Mike Weber, Marigo Kehoe, Rosamund Pike, and more.
While the show’s run has ended, Amazon and Sony still plan to support its third season with an Emmy campaign—hoping to land recognition for a show that, creatively, was just hitting its stride.