Brandon Sanderson has reflected on the cancellation of Amazon's The Wheel of Time series, describing the show's abrupt ending as a "tragedy" while reiterating his frustrations with some of the changes made to Robert Jordan's books.
Prime Video cancelled The Wheel of Time after three seasons in May 2025, concluding the adaptation before it could fully adapt Jordan's sprawling fantasy saga. Sanderson, who completed The Wheel of Time after Jordan's death, expressed disappointment with the show's handling and its departures from the source material.
"It's a tragedy," Sanderson stated in a recent interview with IGN. "In part for the cast and crew, whom I knew worked extremely hard, only to have their story end up unfinished." He also highlighted Rosamund Pike's performance as Moiraine as a difficult-to-replace aspect of the series.
While sympathetic to those involved in the production, Sanderson voiced reservations about the creative decisions made. "At the same time, I wish I'd been able to persuade them to stick to the books in a few key aspects," he said, clarifying that he does not believe adaptations must be entirely faithful. "But there were alterations made here that led to an ever-widening gulf between Robert Jordan's vision and the show."
Sanderson believes a balance could have been struck. "I feel there was a way to do what Amazon wanted and what the fans wanted, and maintain a little more clarity as to the themes of the books," he commented.
Regarding his potential involvement in future adaptations, Sanderson remains open. "If they want me!" he responded when asked if he would be interested. However, he acknowledged that his vocal criticism of the previous show's changes might affect future opportunities. "They might not, as I was kind of loud behind the scenes about my dislike of some of these changes," he admitted.
Sanderson's input during the Amazon series' development was reportedly not extensively incorporated. His current relationship with the rights holders for television and film adaptations is limited; he has not spoken to them in many years, though he maintains a strong relationship with Harriet McDougal, Jordan's widow, regarding literary projects like the ongoing leatherbound editions of The Wheel of Time.
With no current indication of another adaptation being in development, Sanderson's comments serve as a postmortem on a series that concluded before reaching its narrative conclusion. Should another adaptation arise, Sanderson has suggested he would be willing to participate if sought out.