Amazon’s Best Wheel Of Time Season 4 Replacement Is An Upcoming Fantasy Show That Isn’t Based On A Book

Amazon Prime has a great replacement for The Wheel of Time on the way, but it’s not one of the shows they’re developing based on fantasy books. The Wheel of Time’s cancellation came as a shock to fantasy fans, many of whom were beginning to really invest themselves in the series after the critically acclaimed third season. Aside from Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings titles, well-made fantasy is difficult to come by, making every loss like this all the more gutting.

Amazon’s TV series library isn’t without its speculative fiction, and with titles like Fourth Wing and Powerless in development, fantasy isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Those titles lean more toward YA/romance fantasy, which might not appeal to those looking for something of the Wheel of Time ilk. Aside from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which currently awaits its third season, there are no epic fantasy book adaptations in the works for Amazon subscribers, but there’s still another exciting option.

God Of War Is Amazon’s Most Exciting Upcoming Fantasy Show

God Of War Is A Poignant Epic Fantasy Video Game Series

While new fantasy novel adaptations in the works at Amazon lean toward the romance side, the God of War video game adaptation will be much closer in tone to The Wheel of Time. God of War is a long-standing video game franchise, but this show will be based on the 2018 reboot game, which takes the main character, Kratos, a Greek god, to the realms of Norse mythology. The title has been widely acclaimed, praising its gameplay, but more importantly, its immense and beautiful world-building, as well as its character-focused storytelling.

Though God of War is based on Norse myths and not an original fantasy world, it’s worth noting that Norse mythology is at the root of Tolkien’s inspiration for The Lord of the Rings, and is scattered throughout Robert Jordan’s world-building in The Wheel of Time. Not to mention, the games this show will be based on are rich with original ideas, and don’t skimp on the magic, battles, and political intrigue that fantasy book lovers might be looking for. The games are the real deal in terms of fantasy storytelling; the show just needs to live up to them.

God Of War Can Succeed Where Wheel Of Time Failed

God Of War Is A More Contained Epic Fantasy Story

God of War and The Wheel of Time are very different in some ways, and those differences might work in the television medium’s favor. Story-wise, God of War is almost more similar to The Last of Us, featuring two central main characters and a supporting cast that appears throughout. Prominent figures from Norse mythology begin to appear more and more as the games progress, but the primary focus is always on Kratos and his son, Atreus.

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If You’re Sad The Wheel Of Time Got Canceled, Watch These 7 Fantasy Shows That Had Full Runs

The Wheel of Time’s cancellation is devastating, but some great high fantasy shows like Prime’s series have enough seasons to keep you satisfied.

The Wheel of Time books are an epic with thousands of characters, and even when the narrative is diluted down to just the main cast, there’s still barely enough time for everyone. Season 3 was great, but I personally felt like both Mat and Lan were scarcely involved, and the same could be said for other characters in the previous seasons. Hollywood is still learning the ropes with adapting fantasy, and if these shows are only going to get eight-episode seasons, something with a shorter list of characters to divide focus on sounds beneficial.

Fewer characters may sound like a downgrade to those who love The Wheel of Time or A Song of Ice & Fire for their sprawling ensembles, but rest assured, the stakes still feel as high. Just like with The Wheel of Time, the recent God of War games build toward a massive, age-defining final battle, which stands to be as epic as anything fantasy fans have seen on TV. It’s also worth noting that, although there aren’t as many main characters, there are plenty of outstanding, well-defined characters that will change how viewers perceive the Norse gods.