‘The Wheel of Time’ officially cancelled by Prime Video after filming three seasons in Prague

Amazon has officially canceled its fantasy series The Wheel of Time after three seasons, capping a multi-year production that left a significant mark on Prague’s film industry. Based on Robert Jordan’s beloved book series, the high-budget adaptation had been a flagship project for Amazon’s Prime Video, but ultimately, it could not justify its steep costs.

While The Wheel of Time won critical acclaim—especially for its third season, released earlier this spring—and maintained a loyal international fan base, it struggled to sustain the viewership required to continue.

The news comes after months of speculation following the season three finale, which was released on April 17. Deadline reports that Amazon and Sony Pictures Television, which co-produced the series, weighed various options before deciding to cancel. Despite creative support from Amazon executives and high marks from critics—The Wheel of Time season three holds a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—viewership data showed a decline compared to earlier seasons.

While the series remained popular in many countries, its U.S. audience, as measured by Nielsen, had dropped off the Top 10 chart after just three weeks. Given the lack of movement on production since late 2023, cancellation was presumed to be a likelihood. The show’s fate is yet another reminder of the financial pressures facing even high-profile streaming titles in an increasingly crowded market.

The show’s end will come as a disappointment to fans, but the season three finale was crafted to provide a sense of closure, knowing cancellation was a possibility. Prime Video and Sony will continue their Emmy campaign for the latest season.

Starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred, The Wheel of Time featured an expansive cast and intricate worldbuilding, earning a place among Prime Video’s most ambitious projects alongside The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Its departure marks the end of one of Amazon’s early ventures into large-scale fantasy storytelling.

One of Prague’s largest international productions

From 2019 to 2023, The Wheel of Time was one of the largest international projects filming in Prague and across the country, employing hundreds of Czech filmmakers, technicians, and artists.

Key filming took place at Jordan Studios, a massive facility built specifically for the series in a former truck factory in Letňany, and named after the author. Additional studio production took place at Prague’s Barrandov Studio.

Other locations across the Czech Republic provided the backdrop for the fantasy world—quarries, forests, castles, and villages stood in for the lands of Rand al’Thor and his companions. Sites included Ledčice Quarry, Dolní Beřkovice, Chlum, Lísek, Vinařice, Kestřany, Chotěšov, Koněprusy, Vojkovice, and the Kosov Quarry.

The project was a massive undertaking for Czech crews. As Marigo Kehoe, an executive producer on the series, noted in 2021, over 500 Czech filmmakers worked on the first season The Wheel of Time, taking on key roles in production design, visual effects, stunts, sound, and camera work.

“For us, shooting here in the Czech Republic was the only choice,” Kehoe said at the time, praising the “fantastic crews and great locations set in the heart of Europe.”

Production in Czechia wasn’t without its challenges. One of the most demanding scenes involved recreating a deep snow landscape in a former basalt quarry. The shoot involved complex camera rigs, visual effects, and extensive set dressing, all managed by Czech teams. Despite the obstacles, the sequence was a success, thanks to what Kehoe described as the professionalism and dedication of the Czech crew.

Beyond the technical feats, The Wheel of Time injected significant investment into the Czech film industry. The first season alone reportedly spent nearly CZK 2 billion ($92 million) locally, supported by government incentives that totaled CZK 352 million ($16 million); subsequent seasons spent similar amounts. The series provided steady employment for local cast and crew across its multi-year production, bringing sustained work to dozens of locations across the country.