During the 2010s, one television show reigned supreme, and its impact was felt around the world. The fantasy genre made a splash on the global stage as HBO adaptedGeorge R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Fireinto the award-winning series,Game of Thrones. Since then, there has been a desire to bring even more fantastical worlds and monsters to life. HBO doubled down on Westeros, with spin-offs likeHouse of the Dragonand others in the works. Netflix went forThe WitcherandShadow and Bone.Prime Videodecided to explore the world written about inRobert Jordan’s massive 14-book series, known asThe Wheel of Time. Unfortunately, after three seasons, of which the third season was the most critically acclaimed, Prime Video decided to break the spinning wheel and cancel the show.
However, despite ending the adventures of Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) and Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), the streamer is not done with the fantasy genre. According to Deadline, Amazon has picked up the YA fantasy seriesPowerless, byLauren Roberts. Prime Video’s adaptation will cover Roberts' book trilogy, which includesPowerless(2023),Reckless(2024) andFearless(2025). With titles such asMaxton Hall: The World Between Usand Netflix’s hit mystery sci-fi show,Dark, part of her credits, writerDaphne Ferrarowill develop the books for television. Ferraro will serve as creator and showrunner, with executive producersWill Gluck,Madison Jones,Jacqueline Monetta,Alex Black,Jon Rosenberg, andNatalie Sellers. Ferraro and Roberts also executive produce with Gluck’s Olive Bridge Productions (Anyone But You,Peter Rabbit), the studio behind the project.
What is Prime Video’s ‘Powerless’ About?
Powerlesswill play out in the Kingdom of Ilya, where the Elites are charged with governance with breathtaking powers at their disposal. They lord over those without powers, the Ordinaries, and it’s only when Paedyn Gray, a powerless Ordinary and petty thief from the slums, saves Prince Kai, the cruel King’s second son, does the story get interesting. Paedyn’s father happened to have been executed by the king and, as reward for her service to the crown in saving Kai, she is rewarded with a spot in the kingdom’s prestigious Purging Trials — a savage competition promising glory, riches, and fame. However, surviving the Purging Trials isn’t all that Kai and Paedyn have to worry about, this new constant pull towards each other must be monitored as well.
While Prime Video might have set their sights onPowerless, it won’t be the only fantasy series on the streamer’s books.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Poweris headed into a third season as the story of the Second Age of Middle-earth continues. The decision to cancelThe Wheel of Timewas mainly monetary and, at the moment,Prime Video has no plans to shop the show aroundto see if another streamer or potentially even a network would revive the wheel. However, fans of the show seembent on fighting for the show, and should they manage to get their way, we might seeThe Wheel of Timespin once more on Prime Video.
