By the time season two of The Wheel of Time returns on Prime Video, a whopping 22 months will have passed since audiences were introduced to the Aes Sedai, the One Power, and the Dragon Reborn. A delay as long as this would normally signal trouble for a show just one season in (especially in the age of trigger-happy studios like Netflix canceling fantasy shows left and right). Thankfully, The Wheel of Time was guaranteed a second and third season right off the bat, so it’s less a matter of “if” we will see Rand (Josha Stradowski) step into his title as the Dragon Reborn, but “when.”
The first season mostly covered the storyline laid out in Robert Jordan’s first novel of the same name (with a few minor details squeezed in from future installments), whereas season two is set to cover Jordan’s second book in the series, The Great Hunt. Like the first season, however, the second will feature elements from future installments and even include a few changes here and there.
But (hopefully minor) changes to the storyline aren’t the only differences you can expect to see. New cast members are also making their debut in season two, with one in particular as a character we are already familiar with. Thankfully, you won’t have to wait much longer to see it all play out. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the official release date for season two of The Wheel of Time?
As mentioned, by the time season two premieres, a whopping 22 months will have passed since the finale. Those quick with math can rightfully assume that puts the release date sometime in September of this year — September 1, to be exact, as confirmed by EW.
Fans will recall that the first season ended with Rand going into hiding for fear of harming his friends should the One Power cause him to descend into madness as previous incarnations of the Dragon did. His friends, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Moiraine are all embarking on their own adventures now, some more glamorous than others; Egwene and Nynaeve are training to harness the One Power whereas Moiraine has completely lost her connection to it.
The first season was mostly about setting the groundwork for the rest of Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy. Now that said groundwork has been laid, the real fun is about to begin. Showrunner Rafe Judkins teased this exact sentiment last year when speaking at the New York Comic Con, calling this new season “massive.”
“This season is a lot of screaming, crying, fighting, and two people talking in a room. We did build that groundwork. You know who these people are, and now you get to see them go on these journeys. The journeys Robert Jordan created are epic. It’s a gift for people who know the books to watch the show, because they see contained in each of these characters the path that’s in front of them. In season 2, we’re on that path. By the end of the season, eight episodes later, it’s just massive. I’m excited for people to see it.”
Which cast members are new and which ones are returning?
A majority of cast members are remaining the same, but fans of Barney Harris’ Mat Cauthon have unfortunately received the short end of the stick. The British actor has been replaced with newcomer Dónal Finn. Finn’s filmography is slim, dating back to only 2019, but he already has a major credit under his name having played the character Albert in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
The remainder of the cast will thankfully stay the same. That means Rosamund Pike will return as Moiraine Damodred, Josha Stradowski will return as Rand al’Thor, Daniel Henney as al’Lan Mandragoran, Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al’Meara, Madeleine Madden as Egwene al’Vere, and Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara.
The Seanchan Empire was also teased at the end of season one, so that means this season will see a host of new Seanchan faces stirring up some drama. Needless to say, you can expect more magic this time around.
