Wheel of Time's Leading Star Opens Up About the Show's Abrupt Ending
After a critically praised third season, one of The Wheel of Time's leads finally shares what it was really like to face the show's sudden end.
Four months after Amazon pulled the plug on The Wheel of Time, the cast is still clearly reeling. The latest voice to weigh in: Natasha O'Keeffe, who joined in season 2 as Lanfear and very much did not feel finished.
Natasha O'Keeffe says the cancellation blindsided the team
Talking to Collider, O'Keeffe called the decision a shock across the board. She thought showrunner Rafe Judkins would have seen it coming if it was coming at all, but the mood on set was hopeful. In her words, season 3 felt like it had finally settled in and was ready to fly. Instead, everyone got hit with the off switch just as her character was revving up.
'Lanfear was only warming up.'
She also admitted the timing was so unexpected that nobody really got to say goodbye, because everyone assumed they would be back for season 4. For a massive fantasy production, she says it felt like a proper family, which makes the sudden stop sting even more. The vibe now is: take the hit, dust off, move on.
Why Amazon walked away
Deadline reported that Prime Video decided not to renew The Wheel of Time after lengthy deliberations, and the reasoning came down to finances. Translation: budgets and priorities shifted, and the show did not make the cut after three seasons.
Is there a path to a season 4 somewhere else?
Judkins is still pushing for it. He put out a statement hoping the series can find a new home, pointing to a very specific precedent that fans of sci-fi TV know well: The Expanse, which Amazon rescued after Syfy canceled it. He is realistic that these saves are rare, but not impossible.
'Will The Wheel of Time get to do that with another network and finish the story? Sadly, it's not something that happens often. But it does happen.'
He also floated the idea that, fittingly for this franchise, the show's story does not have to obey tidy beginnings and ends. The long version: he believes the industry will settle and let creators get back to putting great characters in people's living rooms every week. The short version: they are not done trying.
Where things stand right now
- It has been four months since the cancellation after three seasons on Prime Video.
- Natasha O'Keeffe joined as Lanfear in season 2 and says the team was blindsided; season 3 felt like it was just taking off.
- Deadline cites financial reasons for Amazon's decision after lengthy internal discussions.
- Showrunner Rafe Judkins is exploring a new home and cites The Expanse as a precedent; he believes the story deserves a proper finish.
- Cast members including Josha Stradowski and Rosamund Pike have spoken out since the news.
- More than 220,000 fans have signed a petition to save the series.
- For now, The Wheel of Time seasons 1-3 are still streaming on Prime Video.