One fantasy series with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score recommended by Brandon Sanderson might be an interesting choice for The Wheel of Time’s future. Following Amazon’s cancellation of the Wheel of Time adaptation, fans of the series have been actively seeking a new home for the title. At this point, it seems unlikely another streamer will pick it up.
Brandon Sanderson is a famous fantasy author in his own right, but he’ll be most widely known to Wheel of Time fans as the author who wrote the final books in the series, following the late great Robert Jordan’s passing in 2007. Sanderson penned the last three novels, including the widely acclaimed finale, A Memory of Light.
The author has been outspoken about the Amazon adaptation in the past, serving on the series as a “Consulting Producer.” Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel of Time cancellation comments have been thought-provoking, and it’s worth unpacking other statements he’s made about contemporary fantasy media as well.
Brandon Sanderson Has Praised Arcane As A Great Fantasy Show
Sanderson Actively Praised The Video Game Adaptation
Arcane is a two-season animated show on Netflix that’s set in the League of Legends universe. With a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s considered one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, and it’s gotten fans from nearly every speculative fiction fanbase out there wishing for an Arcane-style adaptation in their respective universe.
Brandon Sanderson has frequently praised Arcane, even mentioning it in an interview with Polygon where he discussed the current fantasy landscape in Hollywood. While suggesting that titles like The Wheel of Time and The Rings of Power haven’t achieved what he hoped they would, he claimed that “There is one excellent [fantasy] show: Arcane.”
The Wheel Of Time Could Be Great As An Arcane-Like Animated Series
Robert Jordan’s World Excel In This Medium
Considering The Wheel of Time’s vibrant, high-fantasy world, there were always going to be limitations to bringing it to life on the small screen. Animation offers options for aspects of world-building and storytelling that are challenging in live-action, like non-human characters, magic, and original locations.
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Brandon Sanderson Gives A Harsh Reminder Of Hollywood’s Epic Fantasy Problem After Wheel of Time Cancellation
Brandon Sanderson recently commented on The Wheel of Time’s cancellation, and his point applies to the broader fantasy genre in Hollywood.
One of the more notable limitations of Arcane, which Sanderson points out, is that it’s an incredibly expensive way to make a series. However, future Wheel of Time projects using animation wouldn’t be explicitly limited to that particular style. There are other ways to make artistic, animated shows without going to the extent that the Netflix series does.
Plans For Wheel Of Time In Animation Have Already Been Discussed
An Animated Film Is Reportedly In Development
Currently, there’s a project in development by iwot productions called The White Tower, which is intended to be a 3D animated feature film. The movie’s current status is unclear, especially regarding the live-action show’s cancellation and the fact that iwot has a devious reputation for its projects not going anywhere.
Either way, the potential of The Wheel of Time in animation has already been realized, now all it’s going to take is someone to see a project through. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books contain some of the most vivid, imaginative fantasy out there, and having passionate artists bring them to life would be wonderful.
Source: Polygon
