As mentioned, The Wheel of Time season 3 will debut on Thursday, March 13 . The series’ return was announced at Brazil Comic-Con 2024, with the show’s creator Rafe Judkins and members of its main cast confirming as much during Amazon’s panel at the event.
There’s little information on how many episodes will arrive on launch day. However, the past two seasons received three-episode premieres when they were released, so it’s highly likely that the TV-MA-rated show’s third installment will, too.
The Wheel of Time season 3 trailer
The Wheel of Time – Season 3 Official Teaser | Prime Video – YouTube
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Receiving its world premiere at Brazil Comic-Con 2024, The Wheel of Time season 3’s first trailer has me worried about what happens to Rand and Moiraine. This season’s first round of footage is fraught with danger and ominous foreshadowing, with Moiraine claiming that in every universe and/or timeline she exists in and lives, Rand dies.
Will Moiraine give up her life, then, so Rand survives season 3’s events? I’ll answer this question in the spoiler-filled part of this article’s plot section.
The Wheel of Time season 3 confirmed cast
Egwene and Rand are back for more bloody and fraught adventures in season 3 (Image credit: Prime Video)
Potential spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time ‘s third season.
Per an Amazon MGM Studios press release , here’s a full list of the returning cast for season 3:
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor
Daniel Henney as al’Lan Mandragoran
Zoe Robins as Nynaeve al’Meara
Madeleine Madden as Egwene al’Vere
Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
Donal Finn as Matt Cauthon
Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand
Kate Fleetwood as Liandrin Guirale
Natasha O’Keefe as Lanfear
Ayoola Smart as Aviendha
Kae Alexander as Min Farshaw
The above actors will be joined by plenty of new faces in this third chapter of one of the best Prime Video shows. Season 3’s first newcomer was announced on December 11, 2024, with The Penguin and Arcane star Shohreh Aghdashloo confirmed as Elaida. Another member of the female-only magic-wielders known as the Aes Sedai, Elaida is a Red Ajah and a former occupant of the Amyrlin Seat.
One week later, Amazon MGM Studios revealed four more new cast members – three of whom are a part of, or have ties to, the Andor royal family and the other is a surprise relative of Rand.
Olivia Williams has been cast as Lady Morgase Trakand, aka Elayne’s mother and Queen of Andor. Nuno Lopes will portray Lord Gaebril who, spoilers notwithstanding, may not be who he appears to be. Lastly on the Andor front, Luke Featherstone will play Lord Gawyn Trakand, Elayne’s brother and next in line to be the nation’s First Prince of the Sword.
And the individual with ties to Rand? That’ll be Lord Galad Damodred. He’ll be portrayed by Callum Kerr and, per The Wheel of Time novels, he’s the Dragon Reborn’s half-brother on his mother’s side. He’s also the half-brother of Elayne and Gawyn on his father’s side. Oh, and let’s not forget he’s the Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light.
Five more new cast members were announced on January 15. Isabella Bucceri is on board as Faile Bashere, a daring noblewoman from Saldea. Nukâka Coster-Waldau is Bair, one of the Aiel’s Wise Ones, and is joined by Salóme Gunnarsdóttir as the Wise One Melaine.
Björn Landberg is playing Rhuarc, the clan chief of the Taardad Aiel, and Synnøve Macody Lund is Melindhra, a Maiden of the Spear who hails from the Shaido clan. Like Gaebril, you’ll want to keep a close eye on her.
There are other characters who could feature throughout season 3. Hammed Animashaun’s Loial wasn’t announced as part of this season’s cast in the Amazon press blast, but I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t appear in an episode or two. Speaking at New York Comic-Con 2023 (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (THR)), showrunner Rafe Judkins also confirmed that more of Lanfear’s fellow Forsaken will make their live-action debuts in season 3.
One actor who won’t be back for more high-fantasy action, though, is Fares Fares as Ishamael. He was killed by Rand in season 2’s final episode so unless he appears in a flashback scene or nightmarish, vision-like sequence, he’s run his race in this show.
The Wheel of Time season 3 story synopsis and rumors
Nothing bad will happen to Rand, I promise… (Image credit: Prime Video)
Potential spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time season 3.
Here’s the official story brief for season 3: “At the end of season 2, after defeating Ishamael, Rand reunites with his friends at Falme and is declared the Dragon Reborn.
“But, in Season 3, the threats against the Light are multiplying: the White Tower stands divided, the Black Ajah run free, old enemies return to the Two Rivers, and the remaining Forsaken are in hot pursuit of the Dragon… including Lanfear, whose relationship with Rand will mark a crucial choice between Light and Dark for them both.
“As the ties to his past begin to unravel, and his corrupted power grows stronger, Rand becomes increasingly unrecognizable to his closest allies, Moiraine and Egwene. These powerful women, who started the series as teacher and student, must now work together to prevent the Dragon from turning to the Dark…no matter the cost.”
That’s both a lot and not much to go on. Sure, as story synopses go, it seems pretty meaty, but it doesn’t disclose that much about this season’s overarching narrative, character arcs, or which of Jordan’s novels it’ll adapt.
Thanks to the cast and crew, though, we have some answers to all of the above – starting with the last of those puzzles. Speaking at New York Comic-Con 2023, Judkins confirmed (per IGN) that season 3 would adapt the story that unfolds in books four and five – ‘Shadow Rising’ and ‘The Fires of Heaven’. Season 3 will primarily focus on the fourth novel, with elements from its sequel book sprinkled on top.
The Wheel of Time ‘s third season will, unsurprisingly, feature new locations first introduced in Jordan’s literary works, as well as take viewers back to towns and cities previously visited in seasons 1 and 2. Per IGN, Judkins reveals we’ll head back to the Two Rivers and the White Tower at some stage, while fan-favorite destinations including Andor, Tanchico, and Rhuidean will feature prominently throughout.
The last of those locations will be of particular interest to long-time fans, too, because it – and the above tweet – confirm our heroes (and villains) will travel to the Aiel Waste at some point. This is an important stop on these characters’ journeys and a glimpse into the time before The Breaking of the World, i.e. the period that saw male Aes Sedai go mad and brought about the end of the Age of Legends.
The show’s forthcoming installment will also bring the concept of ‘dreamwalking’ to life in Amazon’s TV adaptation. “We also get to explore with some of our characters the world of dreams and dreamwalking,” Judkins said at NYCC 2023 (via THR), “And I think that’s a really cool thing to get to do in season three because it is one of those unique elements in Wheel of Time that no other book series really has. So we really explore that world in season three.”
There are plenty more subplots, world-building aspects, and fascinating character arcs that’ll be threaded through this entry’s overarching narrative, too.
From the debut of a new world-trading faction called the Sea Folk and Egwene’s Aes Sedai Accepted trials, to a mind-blowing action set-piece that Judkins calls “bonkers” (per Deadline ) in The Wheel of Time season 3’s first episode, it sounds like you and I are in for a real treat when the series returns.
Is The Wheel of Time season 4 in development yet?
Will Amazon *ahem* crown The Wheel of Time with a fourth season? (Image credit: Prime Video)
Not yet. Amazon hasn’t officially renewed The Wheel of Time for a fourth season. There’s no guarantee that it’ll be made, either – especially after fansite WoTseries.com claimed that Amazon spent an eye-watering $260 million on its first two seasons.
According to The Wheel of Time YouTube fan channel WoT Up !, season 4 won’t get the green light unless season 3’s viewership is a marked improvement on its predecessor. As the video’s presenter points out, this is just a rumor, so there’s no way to confirm if Amazon is actually waiting to see how season 3 performs before deciding to renew or cancel the show. It’s also worth stating that Amazon rarely releases viewing figures for its TV Originals. Indeed, the e-commerce giant’s entertainment division only does so if one of Prime Video’s new movies, or a new or returning TV show, performs better than expected.
For now, then, I can’t say if The Wheel of Time season 3 will get a follow-up. Once I know more, I’ll update this section.
For more Prime Video-based coverage, read our guides on The Rings of Power season 3, Invincible season 3, Mr and Mrs Smith season 2, and Reacher season 3.
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