Summary
- Amazon struggles with successful adaptation of popular intellectual properties despite positive reviews.
- Concerns rise as Amazon cancels The Wheel of Time after three seasons, following a pattern.
- Pressure mounts on Amazon to deliver quality content with upcoming James Bond adaptation to regain fan trust.
Amazon shocked The Wheel of Time fans by canceling the show after its third season despite receiving positive reviews from fans. The popular intellectual property has a dedicated fan base, which should've made the television series a massive hit for the streaming platform. Still, its cancellation proves that the adaptation of Robert Jordan's novels hasn't quite worked.
Of course, not every series is going to be a success, and fans will be pleased that they were given three seasons before the plug was pulled. But The Wheel of Time's failure is the latest example of Amazon struggling to get things right with a significant intellectual property, causing concern about what's going to happen in the future.
The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Ending Explained
Season 3 of The Wheel of Time ended with a brutal episode featuring alliances, betrayal, and a tragic death.
The Wheel Of Time Is The Latest Example Of Amazon Failing With An Intellectual Property
It Is Becoming A Concerning Pattern For Amazon Moving Forward
The Wheel of Time brought in an excellent 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its third season, but the fact that Amazon still canceled the show is a telling sign that they're struggling with long-term planning. The first two seasons of the series didn't end up being enjoyable, and that meant that the show was fighting a losing battle regardless of what happened moving forward. Having the rights to that story seemed like a guaranteed win for the streaming service due to its popularity, already having a built-in audience that could be tapped into, and the fact that Amazon failed to do that is a cause for concern.
However, this isn't the only time that Amazon has fumbled with a significant property that is beloved worldwide. Amazon spent vast sums of money on The Rings Of Power in a bid to create the next Game of Thrones for the television world. Tapping into The Lord of the Rings should've led to unbelievable levels of success, considering how popular that franchise is, both in terms of the original novels and Peter Jackson's movie trilogy. However, despite the money put into it, people have been left feeling underwhelmed by the content produced throughout the first two seasons. The show has failed to deliver on the expectations fans had, and given that Amazon canceled The Wheel of Time despite being considered a better show, the future of The Rings of Power doesn't look bright. The Rings of Power suffered a significant drop-off in terms of viewership for the second season, proving that just being based on a major franchise isn't enough if the overall quality isn't there.
Fallout Is The Only Exception Of Amazon's Ability With Intellectual Property Successfully
The First Season Gave People Hope Amazon Can Fix This Problem
Even though The Wheel of Time fell short of expectations for many people, the first season of Fallout managed to exceed most of the expectations that existed for it. Fans of the video game franchise were left impressed by how Amazon brought the world to life, focusing on the characters that have helped take Fallout to the level that it's at today in the video game world. The hopes are high for what Amazon will be able to achieve with Fallout moving forward, as this has become one of Amazon's major shows that people are now looking forward to seeing continue. However, there will be pressure on Amazon to ensure the quality remains moving forward, as there are doubts among people who know about Amazon's past with intellectual properties.
Amazon Is Under Pressure Ahead Of Future James Bond Plans
Fans Will Start To Lose Faith In The Company If Amazon Doesn't Turn Things Around
Amazon's failure to get the best out of significant intellectual properties such as The Lord of The Rings and The Wheel of Time is a worry when considering that Amazon has taken creative control of the James Bond franchise. They're in the process of making the next movie for the iconic British spy franchise and given how popular these movies are; there won't be any forgiveness from fans if Amazon drops the ball with this. It's a huge opportunity to prove that they can work with intellectual property and make it a success because there's a massive fanbase actively waiting for more content from this universe. Amazon could take it to a whole new level with its financial resources, but there is pressure to make that happen.
Amazon has now reached the point where fans will start to lose faith in its ability to handle major intellectual properties moving forward, which is a risk within itself. Getting the rights to create television shows or movies from significant, well-known brands sets them up to attract a lot of interest initially, but as the quality continues to drop, so does the intrigue. Consistently failing to get the best out of popular franchises is a sign of internal problems, and after failure with The Wheel of Time, Amazon must be careful with how it proceeds.
The Wheel of Time
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2021 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Prime Video
- Showrunner
- Rafe Judkins
