A show logo and 2021 release window were announced just last month from the highly anticipated television adaptation of Robert Jordan’s hit fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Well, fans haven’t had to wait long for another round of news. Rafe Judkins (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Chuck) made a brief appearance at JordanCon to disclose they would be releasing a trailer by the end of the summer.
Thanks for checking in during our @TheWheelOfTime show panel @rafejudkins! Your news about the trailer had the whole room and livestream gasping… Were you watching the livestream #twitteroftime? Tune in for more all weekend. https://t.co/6iP37BVfz5
— JordanCon (@JordanConInc) July 16, 2021
Rafe’s connection with the series
In a fantastic interview by the panel moderator, Tim Kash, Rafe started the conversation by discussing his profound connection with The Wheel of Time spanning from childhood. He referenced the books’ female cast, and their individuality in a world that’s so much different than themselves and how it helped him and his mother relate to being unorthodox individuals—he as a gay person in Utah and his mother as a Mormon woman.
When asked how faithful an adaptation the show is, Rafe admits it’s impossible to be fully authentic when adapting for television. Nevertheless, he calls it a “true adaptation” and that it will stay true to the “heart of the story.” When the conversation led towards the casts’ diversity, Judkins says that the series was the most diverse fantasy book of its time and how important it is for him to make this the most varied fantasy TV cast to preserve authenticity.
Rosamund embraces Moraine
In what might have been the most exciting section of the interview, Rafe recalls talking on the phone with the show’s lead actor Rosamund Pike, who plays the iconic magic-wielding mentor Moraine Damodred, and how enthusiastic Pike was about the character after reading the script. “I know this woman. I can be this woman,” Judkins quotes, clearly displaying the passion the Emmy and Golden Globe winner wields towards the Aes Sedai. He also speaks to Moraine’s iconic reputation in fantasy, how important it was to have an actor who truly believes they are that person, and how Rosamund’s passion helped him narrow down who to cast as Moraine.
The panel ended with a reveal of the first show poster and a November release date. The poster itself features Rosamund as Moraine, standing in a Way Gate with the sun in the background. At the bottom of the poster, you can see the colorful weaves of saidar, the magic system exclusive to women. So now, fans have plenty to chew on from the Comic-Con panel as we wait for the first trailer and further news on the series. But until then, “May you always find water and shade.”
See you in November, Dragonsworn. pic.twitter.com/kYJKpO2SGD
— The Wheel Of Time (@TheWheelOfTime) July 23, 2021
