Amazon Prime has a great replacement forThe Wheel of Timeon the way, butit’s not one of the shows they’re developing based on fantasy books.The Wheel of Time’scancellationcame as a shock to fantasy fans, many of whom were beginning to really invest themselves in the series after the critically acclaimed third season. Aside fromGame of ThronesandLord of the Ringstitles, well-made fantasy is difficult to come by, making every loss like this all the more gutting.
God Of War Is Amazon’s Most Exciting Upcoming Fantasy Show
God Of War Is A Poignant Epic Fantasy Video Game Series
While new fantasy novel adaptations in the works at Amazon lean toward the romance side, theGod of Warvideo game adaptationwill be much closer in tone toThe Wheel of Time.God of Waris a long-standing video game franchise, butthis show will be based on the 2018 reboot game, which takes the main character, Kratos, a Greek god, to the realms of Norse mythology. The title has been widely acclaimed, praising its gameplay, but more importantly, its immense and beautiful world-building, as well as its character-focused storytelling.
The title has been widely acclaimed, praising its gameplay, but more importantly, its immense and beautiful world-building, as well as its character-focused storytelling.
ThoughGod of Waris based on Norse myths and not an original fantasy world, it’s worth noting thatNorse mythology is at the root of Tolkien’s inspiration forThe Lord of the Rings, and is scattered throughout Robert Jordan’s world-building inThe Wheel of Time. Not to mention, the games this show will be based on are rich with original ideas, and don’t skimp on the magic, battles, and political intrigue that fantasy book lovers might be looking for. The games are the real deal in terms of fantasy storytelling; the show just needs to live up to them.
God Of War Can Succeed Where Wheel Of Time Failed
God Of War Is A More Contained Epic Fantasy Story
God of WarandThe Wheel of Timeare very different in some ways, and those differences might work in the television medium’s favor.Story-wise,God of Waris almost more similar toThe Last of Us, featuring two central main characters and a supporting castthat appearsthroughout. Prominent figures from Norse mythology begin to appear more and more as the games progress, but the primary focus is always on Kratos and his son, Atreus.
The Wheel of Timebooksare an epic with thousands of characters, and even when the narrative is diluted down to just the main cast, there’s still barely enough time for everyone. Season 3 was great, but I personally felt like both Mat and Lan were scarcely involved, and the same could be said for other characters in the previous seasons. Hollywood is still learning the ropes with adapting fantasy, andif these shows are only going to get eight-episode seasons, something with a shorter list of characters to divide focus on sounds beneficial.
Fewer characters may sound like a downgrade to those who loveThe Wheel of TimeorA Song of Ice & Firefor their sprawling ensembles, but rest assured, the stakes still feel as high. Just like withThe Wheel of Time, the recentGod of Wargames build toward a massive, age-defining final battle, which stands to be as epic as anything fantasy fans have seen on TV. It’s also worth noting that, although there aren’t as many main characters, there are plenty of outstanding, well-defined characters that will change how viewers perceive the Norse gods.
