Posted in: Amazon Studios, Preview, streaming, TV, Wheel of Time | Tagged: amazon, Amazon Prime, books, cable, chernobyl, game of thrones, Michael McElhatton, novels, Robert Jordan, streaming, Tam Al'Thor, television, The Rook, tv, Wheel Of Time

"The Wheel of Time": Amazon Prime Fantasy Series Welcomes Michael McElhatton as Tam Al'Thor

Fans of late author Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series of novels have been introduced to a number of new faces set to star in Amazon Prime's fantasy series adaptation, opposite Rosamund Pike's (Gone Girl, upcoming The Banker's Wife) Moiraine. Joining the actress are previously-announced cast members Madeleine Madden, Marcus Rutherford, Barney Harris, Zoë Robins, Josha Stradowski, and Daniel Henney.

You can now add Michael McElhatton's (Game of Thrones, Chernobyl) name to the list, with the series taking to social media to announce that the actor is set to join the series as Tam Al'Thor. McElhatton's character is the adoptive father of Stradowski's Rand Al'Thor, as well as a dangerously-skilled warrior with both a sword and a bow-n-arrow.

Early in October, series showrunner and writer Rafe Judkins (Chuck, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and the streaming service offered fans a look behind the scenes at a very special moment in production: the first time the cast and crew gathered for a script table read, from September 10:

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Judkins signaled that Monday, September 16, was the first official day of principal photography – the same day that also marked the 12th anniversary of Jordan's (James Oliver Rigney Jr.) passing. In the following video, Judkins pays his respects to the late author in a way fans of the novels can truly appreciate:

Uta Briesewitz (Westworld) is set to direct the first two episodes. Isis Mussenden is attached to the project at costume designer, with Karen E. Goulekas serving as visual effects supervisor.

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Here's a look at a more detailed description of Pike's Moiraine:

The Wheel of Time is set in a sprawling fantasy world where magic exists, but can only be accessed by certain women. Pike's Moiraine is one of those women, a member of the powerful all-female organization known as the Aes Sendai. She comes to the small town of Two Rivers and embarks on a world-spanning journey with five young men and women. One of them is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, a being who will either save or destroy humanity.

While character descriptions for the series were not available, here is a look at the lines from Jordan's novels that were attached with the casting announcements:

Madden's Egwene Al'Vere:

"It was about a woman who would not bend her back while she was beaten, and who shown with a light for all who watched."

Rutherford's Perrin Aybara:

"It was about a man whose family was taken from him, but who stood tall in his sorrow and protected those he could."

Harris' Mat Cauthon:

"It was about a hero who insisted with every breath that he was anything but a hero."

Robins' Nynaeve:

"It was about a woman who refused to believe that she could not help, could not heal those who had been harmed."

Stradowski's Rand Al'Thor:

"It was not about me. It's never been about me."

Henney's al'Lan Mandragoran:

"I swear to stand against the Shadow so long as iron is hard and stone abides – to defend the Malkieri while one drop of blood remains. I swear to avenge what cannot be defended."

McElhatton's Tam Al'Thor:

"The choice isn't always about what you do, son, but why you do it."

Here's what author Brandon Sanderson (who completed the series after Jordan's passing) had to say about the series adaptation and the changes being made by the writers' room:

"I found the mast majority of these decisions to be excellent choices–things that will give the show its own soul, but still in line with the feel and tone of the books. I can't say for certain, but my instincts say the fanbase will in general respond to them positively. There are a few I offered suggestions on, and we'll see.

I can't say too much, not just because of NDAs, but also because the show is very much still in flux as Rafe makes decisions on how he wants things to go. As the alterations go, I'd say they fall in line with positive changes made in bringing LOTR to the big screen–things that were altered in order to make the films work for the medium.

Overall, the thing I'm most impressed with is Rafe himself, who really seems to be guiding this show with a balance between love for the source material and his own creative vision. I'd much rather get this, personally, than something like the first two Harry Potter films–which felt like someone trying to bring the books to the screen with exact scene-by-scene recreations.

I'm certain there will be polarizing decisions made by the team, but the changes are coming from a good place, and I really like most of them. And let me tell you, the first of the two scripts I read was sharp. Excellent dialogue, nuanced characters, great pacing. The second of the two was in a rougher shape, so while still good, obviously was still undergoing revisions."

Amazon Prime Video's The Wheel of Time is executive produced by Judkins, alongside Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon of Red Eagle Entertainment, Ted Field and Mike Weber of Radar Pictures and Darren Lemke. Harriet McDougal serves as a consulting producer. Produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios, The Wheel of Time will launch in over 200 countries and territories.

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