Wheel of Time lands with Sony

Can't tell you how absolutely geeked out I am about this! I'm old enough to have read Eye of the World when it was first released. I'm also praying that it doesn't suck. Some of the people attached to the project, I don't know much about and some I do, and didn't like their work. So please don't suck.
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-time-tv-series-sony-1202390897/

 

Hehe. It seems they have since corrected this, but that's funny.

Let's hope the series is decent enough. Personally, I'm keeping my expectations in check. Game of Thrones was one thing, since you could almost translate each book into a season (with some changes here and there) and still have it be manageable. But WoT is 14 books.

Since there's no way they're going to plan for a 14 season series, that means some heavy duty editing of the source material.

(Actually, now that I think about it, heavy duty editing might just be what the series needs...) Okay, scratch that. I'm excited.

 

Imagine if books 7-10 were cut down into one season (wish it had also been one novel), and the final 'trilogy' where it eventually becomes non-stop action could be limited to one season as well.

 

7-10 I agree (or was it 6-9?) but I think combining the 11-14 into one season will end up feeling rushed.

They can probably condense the first, say, 6 books into about 4-5 seasons (i.e. keep the majority but cut down some of the fluff), then 7-10 can be one season, and 11-14 can be, maybe, about two seasons. That makes it about 7-8 seasons total, which seems doable.

 

Personally, I would prefer relative unknowns in the role. As long as the actors do a good job of portraying the characters, I'd rather not be distracted by thoughts of, "that's Scarlett Johansson playing Aviendha."

Look at Game of Thrones - apart from Sean Bean as Ned Stark, and Lena Headey as Cersei, I don't think I was familiar with any of the actors playing the major characters.

 

I've had my heart broken more times by failed video game, movie and tv series productions of favorite fantasy books, than by teenage loves and loved sweethearts.

That being said though, as with the sweethearts, I never learned better...

I'd always be bitter about the show not being made earlier, so that Natalie Portman could play Tuon( I know she is supposed to have darker skin, but I'd be more than willing to waive it off in this one case).

But I agree with the opinion above - unknown actors would probably be for the best. Better for the budget to go toward some special effects instead for keeping Sean Bean for 8 seasons - Game of Thrones were very prudent in that regard.

 

Nooooo.... Now I have to read the whole thing before it comes out...(never read it)
There goes my reading schedule

 

Before news:
Read this and that, and everything else...about 2-5 books a month. Some history, some politics, some fantasy, mystery, s cifi, mythology, classics, published diaries, and biographies

After news:
Reading wheel of time for next 1-2 years.

 

It's as if you are complaining for winning the lottery...

 

I've only read the first three. I'll have to jump on that wagon as well.

 

I think the weaker books will play better on the screen than on the page. No need to skip anything. And losing anything from 11-14 is crazy; most of the best parts of the series (imo) happen in these 4 book.

My only casting angst is over mat and tuon.

 

Also, we're not getting Scarlett Johansson for an endless tv series ...

 

The writer/ exec producer was also a writer on Agents of Shield (2nd season), Hemlock Grove (first season), Chuck (fifth season), and was even a writers assistant way back on the 4400. So he's got some serious nerd credentials at least.

 

Just as long as they don't get confused and start calling it The Eye of the Tiger.