The Wheel of Time Showrunner Insists Canceled Amazon Prime Video Show Was Watched by 'Huge Numbers of People,’ Points to The Expanse in Expressing Hope It Will Be Saved

While *The Wheel of Time* appears to have reached the end of its journey after Amazon Prime Video decided not to renew the series for Season 4, showrunner Rafe Judkins is holding onto hope that the story could still be completed. Drawing a comparison to *The Expanse*—a show canceled by SYFY before being revived by Amazon—Judkins expressed optimism that another network or platform might step in to finish what was started.

*The Wheel of Time*, based on Robert Jordan’s beloved fantasy book series and starring Rosamund Pike, had begun to win over fans following a divisive first two seasons. Season 3 was widely praised for staying more faithful to the source material and setting up a promising future for the characters and overarching narrative. Unfortunately, despite strong viewership—including nearly 20 weeks in the Nielsen Top 10—Prime Video reportedly concluded that the series wasn’t financially viable long-term.

Brandon Sanderson, who completed Jordan’s original book series after his passing, voiced disappointment over the cancellation, noting that while he had issues with the production's lack of collaboration, he felt the fanbase deserved better after the show’s most successful season yet.

In a detailed statement shared online, showrunner Rafe Judkins acknowledged the difficulty in explaining the cancellation. He emphasized that the series had a global audience and reiterated the team’s commitment to telling the full story from the books. “We made many sacrifices, both personal and creative, along the way to get to that ending,” he said, calling the abrupt halt “a devastating blow for all of us.”

A Trend Against Long-Form Storytelling

Judkins also lamented the current trend in television toward shorter runs and fewer episodes per season, which he believes undermines one of TV’s greatest strengths: long-form storytelling. “It is an art form,” he wrote, “which at its very best, gives people a place to go and spend time with the characters that they love year after year.”

Fans have launched a petition urging Prime Video or another studio to revive the show, which has garnered over 130,000 signatures. However, recent reports indicate that the show is not currently being shopped to other platforms—a reality that dims hopes for a revival, though Judkins remains cautiously optimistic.

Could The Expanse Offer a Blueprint?

Referencing *The Expanse* once again, Judkins recalled how Amazon stepped in to continue the story after SYFY canceled it. “One of the reasons we first chose Amazon as a home for the show was because they were in the midst of picking up *The Expanse* after SYFY cancelled it,” he explained. “So who knows? Perhaps *The Wheel of Time* will do what the books have always managed to do since day one — defy the traditional definitions of ‘beginnings’ and ‘ends.’”

As it stands, there are no concrete plans for a continuation of the series. Yet, Judkins ended his message with a heartfelt note: “I certainly hope it does—because this book series and these fans deserve to see the story finished.”