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Watch: Amazon's 'The Wheel of Time' reveals first look clip, key casting news for Season 2 at NYCC
It ain't an epic fantasy universe if there's no lively tavern where weary travelers and their horses can settle down for the night. Amazon delivered just that in a first look clip from Prime Video's upcoming TV adaptation of The Wheel of Time.
The 2-minute sneak peek, which premiered Friday at New York Comic Con, introduces two key characters from the series of novels written by the late Robert Jordan: Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) — a member of an order of female mystics called the Aes Sedai — and al'Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney), Moiraine's personal bodyguard known as a Warder.
"I wanted to bring something that I thought was one of those iconic scenes that I still remember from the books," said showrunner and executive producer, Rafe Judkins just before the clip was shown. "This clip is Moiraine's first arrival in the Two Rivers ... It's that moment that kind of activates everything in The Wheel of Time. It's the moment that these kids who live in this mountain village...their life is never the same from the moment that woman walks into town."
The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. veteran explained that his overall goal in tackling the gargantuan source material was to "deliver the heart of the series" to audiences. "If it feels like the books in that intangible way, then we will have done our job," he said. "I think that does the job of bringing new fans to this show and to the world of The Wheel of Time as well."
Watch the clip now:
Pike admitted that while she wasn't drawn to fantasy literature prior to being cast, shooting the project helped convert her into a fan of the genre. This was helped along by the groundbreaking nature of Jordan's books, which blazed new territory in terms of representation for women in fantasy.
"I know, traditionally, that any guide character in a fantasy world is usually a man," the actress said. "It was very intriguing to have this mysterious stranger come to town and change the lives of people forever, being a woman."
The panel also yielded a bit of fresh casting news on three series regulars for Season 2, which was commissioned months ago by the streamer before the first season has even premiered. Ceara Coveney (The Amazing World of Emma) will play Queen Elayne Trakand, while Natasha O’Keeffe (Peaky Blinders) and Meera Syal (Broadchurch) have been added in undisclosed roles.
"It does feel crazy when a show hasn't even premiered yet to be talking about Season 2. But we're not just talking about it — we've written it, we're shooting it, we're working on it right now," Judkins concluded. "Everyone who's read the books knows how this world just keeps expanding and the new characters that you meet bring so much to the show."
Season 1 of The Wheel of Time rolls onto Amazon Prime Video Friday, Nov. 19.
In the meantime, check out a piece of newly-released key art below:
Click here to check out SYFY WIRE’s full coverage of New York Comic Con 2021.
