A trilogy of Wheel of Time prequel films may be in development, but they won’t be connected to the Prime Video series. First announced in December 2023, the forthcoming prequels will be set thousands of years prior to the events depicted in the show and will cover the original rise of the Dark One and the group of his disciples known as the Forsaken. The first movie, dubbed The Age of Legends, is set to be directed by Kari Skogland (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) from a screenplay penned by Zack Stentz (X-Men: First Class).
In an interview with ScreenRant, The Wheel of Time showrunner Rafe Judkins was asked about plans for the movies and how they may connect with his show. In a surprising response, Judkins revealed that the prequel films are being developed by a different group of rights holders, and they will not be directly connected to the existing series. Check out his comments below:
It doesn’t have anything to do with the TV show. That’s from a separate rights holder group.
What Rafe Judkins’ Comments Mean For The Age of Legends
The Prequels Are Still Likely To Share Many Key Characters
Television audiences are not unfamiliar with experiencing unconnected takes on major fantasy franchises. While Warner Bros. is currently planning a return to the version of Tolkien’s Middle-earth first established by Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, Prime Video has also been crafting its own separate version via The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. However, it does seem to lead to some dissonance between projects, which could end up harming The Wheel of Time‘s future.
While the prequels will be set in a very different time period to the current show, both the movies and the show are still likely to share several key characters, such as Ishamael (Fares Fares) and Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe). However, Judkin’s comments may suggest that the prequels could potentially introduce audiences to alternate versions of the already-established characters. Beyond casting decisions, the movies could also see vastly different takes on how Robert Jordan’s fantasy world is depicted on screen, right down to the stylistic choices behind depictions of the One Power and creatures such as the faceless Myrddraal.
Our Take On Separating The Wheel of Time Movies From The Show
A Clean Break May Give Fans A Fresh Start
However, despite Rudkin’s ᴀssertion that the Wheel of Time prequels are not being developed in concert with the television show, it is possible the movies could still be produced in a way that hints at their interconnectedness. Much like the way that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power borrows many of the same aesthetic choices established in the Peter Jackson films, The Age of Legends and the other prequels could still choose to look as though it fits within the already-established world, despite being very different projects.
The new movies are being produced by Rick Selvage, Larry Mondragon, and Ted Field, who are also producers on the show.
On the other hand, Amazon MGM may also take the opposite approach and seek to make a clean delineation between the two. Given that the audience reactions to Prime Video’s handling of Jordan’s source material have not always been positive, a fresh start may also serve to lure back many fans who have been disappointed with the numerous differences between The Wheel of Time books and the show.
