AMAZON STUDIOS GREENLIGHTS ACTION FANTASY SERIES "THE WHEEL OF TIME" BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING NOVELS BY ROBERT JORDAN WHICH HAVE SOLD MORE THAN 90 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE
Rafe Judkins to serve as showrunner; Series will be co-produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television
SANTA MONICA, Calif., October 2, 2018 - Amazon Studios today announced it has ordered the one-hour action fantasy The Wheel of Time to series. Based upon Robert Jordan's best-selling fantasy novels, which have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide, the series was adapted for TV by Rafe Judkins (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Chuck) who also serves as showrunner, and is co-produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television. The Wheel of Time will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.
The Wheel of Time is set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists, but only women can use it. Meaning that in this series - women hold the keys to power. The story follows Moiraine, a member of the shadowy and influential all-female organization called the 'Aes Sedai' as she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women. Moiraine's interested in these five because she believes one of them might be the reincarnation of an incredibly powerful individual, whom prophecies say will either save humanity or destroy it. The series draws on numerous elements of European and Asian culture and philosophy, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism.
"The Wheel of Time is endlessly fascinating and resonates hugely with fans as one of the best-selling global properties, and we were drawn to its timely narrative featuring powerful women at the core," said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. "We're thrilled to extend our relationship with devotees who've found the book series transformative and welcome new ones by bringing it to life on Prime Video for viewers worldwide."
"Developing and producing Robert Jordan's beloved fourteen-books-series for TV is a big undertaking, and we don't take it lightly," said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Event Series, Amazon Originals. "We believe that Rafe's personal connection to the material and soulful writing will resonate with the book's passionate fans."
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to produce The Wheel of Time with our friends at Amazon," said Co-President of SPT Chris Parnell. "In Rafe Judkins, we've found a brilliant visionary that is a true fan of the books and ready to bring Robert Jordan's world to life."
Judkins commented: "For so many people, including me, this book series has served as a world to escape to, to lose yourself in, to devour and inhabit completely. And I couldn't be more honored to be the one finally bringing that world to life on screen, for old fans to lose themselves in all over again and new fans to discover for the very first time."
Judkins serves as showrunner and executive producer. Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon of Red Eagle Entertainment, Ted Field and Mike Weber of Radar Pictures (Beirut, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and Darren Lemke (Shrek Forever After) are Executive Producers. Harriet McDougal is a consulting producer.
Rafe Judkins to serve as showrunner; Series will be co-produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television
SANTA MONICA, Calif., October 2, 2018 - Amazon Studios today announced it has ordered the one-hour action fantasy The Wheel of Time to series. Based upon Robert Jordan's best-selling fantasy novels, which have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide, the series was adapted for TV by Rafe Judkins (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Chuck) who also serves as showrunner, and is co-produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television. The Wheel of Time will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.
The Wheel of Time is set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists, but only women can use it. Meaning that in this series - women hold the keys to power. The story follows Moiraine, a member of the shadowy and influential all-female organization called the 'Aes Sedai' as she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women. Moiraine's interested in these five because she believes one of them might be the reincarnation of an incredibly powerful individual, whom prophecies say will either save humanity or destroy it. The series draws on numerous elements of European and Asian culture and philosophy, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism.
"Developing and producing Robert Jordan's beloved fourteen-books-series for TV is a big undertaking, and we don't take it lightly," said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Event Series, Amazon Originals. "We believe that Rafe's personal connection to the material and soulful writing will resonate with the book's passionate fans."
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to produce The Wheel of Time with our friends at Amazon," said Co-President of SPT Chris Parnell. "In Rafe Judkins, we've found a brilliant visionary that is a true fan of the books and ready to bring Robert Jordan's world to life."
Judkins commented: "For so many people, including me, this book series has served as a world to escape to, to lose yourself in, to devour and inhabit completely. And I couldn't be more honored to be the one finally bringing that world to life on screen, for old fans to lose themselves in all over again and new fans to discover for the very first time."
Judkins serves as showrunner and executive producer. Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon of Red Eagle Entertainment, Ted Field and Mike Weber of Radar Pictures (Beirut, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and Darren Lemke (Shrek Forever After) are Executive Producers. Harriet McDougal is a consulting producer.
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AMAZON STUDIOS SIGNS OVERALL DEAL WITH VISIONARY WRITER AND CREATOR NEIL GAIMAN
Creator and Executive Producer of the highly anticipated Amazon Original series Good Omens, Gaiman will exclusively develop television series for Amazon Studios to premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video
SANTA MONICA, Calif., October 2, 2018 - Amazon Studios today announced it has signed an overall television deal with visionary and award-winning writer Neil Gaiman. The creator of the highly anticipated Amazon Original series Good Omens and the Hugo Award-winning book American Gods, Gaiman will exclusively work with Amazon Studios on the creation of television series which will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.
"Neil Gaiman is a phenomenally talented writer, who creates worlds that are compelling, multi-dimensional and narratively unique," said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. "His fans are ardent, vocal and passionate and we are fortunate to bring his gifted vision to the Prime Video audience."
"What decided me was how much I enjoyed working with the Amazon team on Good Omens," said Gaiman. "They are smart, gloriously enthusiastic people, who weren't afraid of Good Omens being different but who were as determined as I was to make something as unique and exciting as it is. I'm thrilled to know that I'll have a home at Amazon in the future where I can make television that nobody's seen before, that's quite unlike Good Omens, but just as unusual and just as much fun."
Credited with being one of the creators of modern comics, Gaiman is a prolific writer whose work - including prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics and drama - crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages.
He started his career in England as a journalist and wrote biographies early on before creating his graphic novel Violent Cases, the first of many collaborations with artist Dave McKean, which led to Black Orchid, published by DC Comics. The groundbreaking Sandman followed, collecting numerous awards including the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story, the first comic to ever receive a literary award. Gaiman's return to Sandman for its 25thAnniversary, with Sandman: Overture, was a New York Times #1 Bestseller and the winner of the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Novel.
Gaiman's Coraline won multiple awards including the British Science Fiction Award, was adapted as a musical by Stephin Merritt and was the basis for the animated feature film, directed by Henry Selick which secured a BAFTA for Best Animated Film and was nominated for an Oscar in the same category. His novel The Graveyard Book, which won both the UK's Carnegie Medal and the Newbery Medal, the highest honor given in US children's literature, is currently being adapted for film.
Gaiman wrote the screenplay for the original BBC TV series of Neverwhere; Dave McKean's first feature film, Mirrormask, for the Jim Henson Company; and co-wrote the script to Robert Zemeckis's Beowulf. He produced Stardust, Matthew Vaughn's film based on his book. He has written and directed two films: A Short Film About John Bolton and Sky Television's Statuesque. His novel American Gods, was adapted for Starz and his character from The Sandman was adapted for FOX's Lucifer.
He is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys, The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Winner of the UK National Book Awards Book of the Year 2013), and Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), as well as the short story collections Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things and Trigger Warning. His first collection of short fiction, Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, was nominated for the UK's MacMillan Silver Pen Awards as the best short story collection of the year. His most recent book, Norse Mythology, has become an international bestseller and a publishing phenomenon.
Creator and Executive Producer of the highly anticipated Amazon Original series Good Omens, Gaiman will exclusively develop television series for Amazon Studios to premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video
SANTA MONICA, Calif., October 2, 2018 - Amazon Studios today announced it has signed an overall television deal with visionary and award-winning writer Neil Gaiman. The creator of the highly anticipated Amazon Original series Good Omens and the Hugo Award-winning book American Gods, Gaiman will exclusively work with Amazon Studios on the creation of television series which will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.
"Neil Gaiman is a phenomenally talented writer, who creates worlds that are compelling, multi-dimensional and narratively unique," said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. "His fans are ardent, vocal and passionate and we are fortunate to bring his gifted vision to the Prime Video audience."
"What decided me was how much I enjoyed working with the Amazon team on Good Omens," said Gaiman. "They are smart, gloriously enthusiastic people, who weren't afraid of Good Omens being different but who were as determined as I was to make something as unique and exciting as it is. I'm thrilled to know that I'll have a home at Amazon in the future where I can make television that nobody's seen before, that's quite unlike Good Omens, but just as unusual and just as much fun."
Credited with being one of the creators of modern comics, Gaiman is a prolific writer whose work - including prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics and drama - crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages.
He started his career in England as a journalist and wrote biographies early on before creating his graphic novel Violent Cases, the first of many collaborations with artist Dave McKean, which led to Black Orchid, published by DC Comics. The groundbreaking Sandman followed, collecting numerous awards including the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story, the first comic to ever receive a literary award. Gaiman's return to Sandman for its 25thAnniversary, with Sandman: Overture, was a New York Times #1 Bestseller and the winner of the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Novel.
Gaiman's Coraline won multiple awards including the British Science Fiction Award, was adapted as a musical by Stephin Merritt and was the basis for the animated feature film, directed by Henry Selick which secured a BAFTA for Best Animated Film and was nominated for an Oscar in the same category. His novel The Graveyard Book, which won both the UK's Carnegie Medal and the Newbery Medal, the highest honor given in US children's literature, is currently being adapted for film.
Gaiman wrote the screenplay for the original BBC TV series of Neverwhere; Dave McKean's first feature film, Mirrormask, for the Jim Henson Company; and co-wrote the script to Robert Zemeckis's Beowulf. He produced Stardust, Matthew Vaughn's film based on his book. He has written and directed two films: A Short Film About John Bolton and Sky Television's Statuesque. His novel American Gods, was adapted for Starz and his character from The Sandman was adapted for FOX's Lucifer.
He is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys, The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Winner of the UK National Book Awards Book of the Year 2013), and Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), as well as the short story collections Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things and Trigger Warning. His first collection of short fiction, Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, was nominated for the UK's MacMillan Silver Pen Awards as the best short story collection of the year. His most recent book, Norse Mythology, has become an international bestseller and a publishing phenomenon.
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