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Only weeks after axing one of its most ambitious fantasy shows, The Wheel of Time, Prime Video is doubling down on the genre with a new addition: Powerless, an adaptation of the young adult fantasy trilogy by Lauren Roberts. The announcement, first reported by Deadline, comes as a surprise to fans still reeling from the cancellation of The Wheel of Time, especially following the series’ critically acclaimed third season.
During the 2010s, fantasy television was redefined by HBO’s Game of Thrones, setting off a streaming arms race for the next genre-defining epic. Netflix invested in The Witcher and Shadow and Bone, while Prime Video took a bold swing with Robert Jordan’s 14-book saga, The Wheel of Time. Despite building a loyal fanbase and achieving creative highs in its latest season, the streamer pulled the plug—citing financial reasons—with no plans to revive or shop the show elsewhere. Yet, fans have not given up, and a push to bring it back is quietly gaining steam online.
Meanwhile, Powerless steps in to fill the void. Set in the Kingdom of Ilya, the series centers on Paedyn Gray, a powerless “Ordinary” and street thief who saves Prince Kai—the ruthless King’s second son. Her reward: a place in the elite Purging Trials, a brutal competition promising power, riches, and status. But surviving the Trials isn’t her only challenge—Paedyn and Kai must also navigate a growing attraction that defies the rules of their rigid society.
The Powerless trilogy includes Powerless (2023), Reckless (2024), and Fearless (2025). Writer and producer Daphne Ferraro (Maxton Hall: The World Between Us, Dark) will serve as showrunner and creator, with a producing team that includes Lauren Roberts herself, Will Gluck, Madison Jones, Jacqueline Monetta, Alex Black, Jon Rosenberg, and Natalie Sellers. The show is being developed under Gluck’s Olive Bridge Productions, known for Anyone But You and Peter Rabbit.
While a production start date has not been confirmed, Powerless joins The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which is currently moving into its third season, as part of Prime Video’s growing fantasy portfolio. The cancellation of The Wheel of Time may still sting, but Amazon’s bet on Powerless signals it’s not abandoning the genre any time soon.
