The Wheel of Time season 3: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, story synopsis, and more news about the Prime Video show's return

The Wheel of Time season 3 is less than a month away. The high fantasy show's latest chapter will make its Prime Video bow on March 13 – and I've rounded up everything you need to know about it before its three-episode premiere.

Below, you'll find more details about The Wheel of Time's third season ahead of its forthcoming release. That includes its release schedule, trailers, confirmed cast, plot logline (and some other spoiler-filled story threads), and more. Proceed with caution, though. Not only could you encounter some Forsaken as you progress through this guide, but full spoilers also follow for The Wheel of Time's first two seasons. Potential season 3 and book spoilers are on the way, too.

The Wheel of Time season 3 release date

As mentioned, The Wheel of Time season 3 will debut on Thursday, March 13. That announcement was made at Brazil Comic-Con 2024.

As for how many episodes will be released on launch day: you'll be able to stream three entries on March 13. New episodes will air weekly every Thursday until this season's finale on April 17.

The Wheel of Time season 3 trailer

The Wheel of Time Season 3 - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

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The Wheel of Time season 3's official trailer weaved its way online on February 13. It teased plenty of what's to come in the acclaimed show's darkest chapter yet, too, including Rand walking through the Glass Columns of Rhuidean, numerous encounters with Foresaken including Lanfear and Moghedien, lots of bloody and/or magical action, and glimpses into the past (and possible futures) for many of the show's main cast. In short: color me excited for the high fantasy program's return.

Missed the first trailer that was unveiled at Brazil Comic-Con 2024? Check it out below:

The Wheel of Time - Season 3 Official Teaser | Prime Video - YouTube

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Given what it teases, The Wheel of Time season 3's first trailer has me worried about Rand and Moiraine. This season's first round of footage is fraught with danger and ominous foreshadowing, with Moiraine claiming that in every universe and/or timeline she exists in and lives, Rand dies.

Will Moiraine give up her life, then, so Rand survives season 3's events? I'll answer this question in the spoiler-filled part of this article's plot section.

The Wheel of Time season 3 confirmed cast

Potential spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time's third season.

Here's a full list of returning cast members for The Wheel of Time season 3:

• Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
• Josha Stradowski as Rand al'Thor
• Daniel Henney as al'Lan Mandragoran
• Zoe Robins as Nynaeve al'Meara
• Madeleine Madden as Egwene al'Vere
• Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
• Donal Finn as Matt Cauthon
• Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand
• Kate Fleetwood as Liandrin Guirale
• Natasha O'Keefe as Lanfear
• Ayoola Smart as Aviendha
• Kae Alexander as Min Farshaw
• Hammed Animashaun as Loial
• Laia Costa as Moghedien

The above actors will be joined by plenty of new faces in one of the best Prime Video shows' third chapter. The first newcomer was announced last December, with The Penguin and Arcane star Shohreh Aghdashloo confirmed as Elaida. Another member of the female-only magic-wielders known as the Aes Sedai, Elaida is a Red Ajah and a former occupant of the Amyrlin Seat.

Later that month, Amazon revealed four more new cast members – three of whom are a part of, or have ties to, the Andor royal family and the other is a surprise relative of Rand.

Olivia Williams has been cast as Lady Morgase Trakand, aka Elayne's mother and Queen of Andor. Nuno Lopes will portray Lord Gaebril who, spoilers notwithstanding, may not be who he appears to be. Lastly on the Andor front, Luke Featherstone will play Lord Gawyn Trakand, Elayne's brother and next in line to be the nation's First Prince of the Sword.

And the individual with ties to Rand? That'll be Lord Galad Damodred. He'll be portrayed by Callum Kerr and, per The Wheel of Time novels, he's the Dragon Reborn's half-brother on his mother's side. He's the half-brother of Elayne and Gawyn on his father's side, too. Oh, and also the Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light.

Five more new cast members were announced in mid-January. Isabella Bucceri is on board as Faile Bashere, a daring noblewoman from Saldea, Nukâka Coster-Waldau is Bair, one of the Aiel's Wise Ones, and Salóme Gunnarsdóttir will portray the Wise One Melaine.

Björn Landberg is playing Rhuarc, the clan chief of the Taardad Aiel, and Synnøve Macody Lund is Melindhra, a Maiden of the Spear who hails from the Shaido clan. Like Gaebril, you'll want to keep a close eye on her.

There are other characters who could feature. Indeed, speaking at New York Comic-Con 2023 (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (THR)), showrunner Rafe Judkins confirmed that more of Lanfear's fellow Forsaken – one of whom, called Moghedien, we met in the season 2 finale – will make their live-action debuts in season 3.

One actor who won't be back for more high-fantasy action, though, is Fares Fares as Ishamael. He was killed by Rand in season 2 episode 8 so, unless he appears in a flashback scene or nightmarish, vision-like sequence, he's run his race in this show.

The Wheel of Time season 3 story synopsis and rumors

Potential spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time season 3.

Here's the official story brief for season 3: "At the end of season 2, after defeating Ishamael, Rand reunites with his friends at Falme and is declared the Dragon Reborn.

"But, in season 3, the threats against the Light are multiplying: the White Tower stands divided, the Black Ajah run free, old enemies return to the Two Rivers, and the remaining Forsaken are in hot pursuit of the Dragon… including Lanfear, whose relationship with Rand will mark a crucial choice between Light and Dark for them both.

"As the ties to his past begin to unravel, and his corrupted power grows stronger, Rand becomes increasingly unrecognizable to his closest allies, Moiraine and Egwene. These powerful women, who started the series as teacher and student, must now work together to prevent the Dragon from turning to the Dark…no matter the cost."

That's both a lot and not much to go on. Sure, as story synopses go, it's pretty meaty, but it doesn't say much about this season's overarching narrative, character arcs, or which of Jordan's novels it'll adapt.

Thanks to the cast and crew, though, we have some answers to all of the above. Speaking at New York Comic-Con 2023, Judkins confirmed (per IGN) that season 3 would adapt the story that unfolds in books four and five – 'Shadow Rising' and 'The Fires of Heaven'. Season 3 will primarily focus on the fourth novel, with elements from its sequel book sprinkled on top.

The Wheel of Time's third season will, unsurprisingly, feature new locations first introduced in Jordan's literary works, as well as take viewers back to towns and cities previously visited in seasons 1 and 2.

Per IGN, Judkins reveals we'll be heading back to the Two Rivers and the White Tower, while fan-favorite destinations including Andor and Rhuidean will feature prominently throughout. Lastly, Nerdist confirmed Tanchico will be part of this season's many locations. For the uninitiated, it's a coastal city (it's the capital of a realm called Tarabon and one of the oldest cities in the world) that, in Amazon's adaptation at least, characters like Matt, Nynaeve, Elayne, and Min travel to.

But it's Rhuidean that'll be of particular interest to long-time fans. Some of our heroes (and villains) will travel to the Aiel Waste, an important stop on these characters' journeys and a glimpse into the time before The Breaking of the World, i.e. the period that saw male Aes Sedai go mad and brought about the end of the Age of Legends.

The show's forthcoming installment will also bring the concept of 'dreamwalking' to life in Prime Video's live-action retelling. "We also get to explore with some of our characters the world of dreams and dreamwalking," Judkins said at NYCC 2023 (via THR), "And I think that’s a really cool thing to get to do in season three because it is one of those unique elements in Wheel of Time that no other book series really has. So we really explore that world in season three."

There are plenty more subplots, world-building aspects, and fascinating character arcs that'll be threaded through this entry's overarching narrative, too.

From the debut of a new world-trading faction called the Sea Folk and Egwene's Aes Sedai Accepted trials, to a mind-blowing action set-piece that Judkins calls "bonkers" (per Deadline) in The Wheel of Time season 3's first episode, it sounds like you and I are in for a real treat when the series returns.

Is The Wheel of Time season 4 in development yet?

Amazon hasn't officially renewed The Wheel of Time for a fourth season. There's no guarantee that it'll be made, either – especially after fansite WoTseries.com claimed that Amazon spent an eye-watering $260 million on its first two seasons.

According to The Wheel of Time YouTube fan channel WoT Up!, season 4 won't get the green light unless season 3's viewership is a marked improvement on its predecessor. As the video's presenter points out, this is just a rumor, so there's no way to confirm if Amazon is actually waiting to see how season 3 performs before deciding to renew or cancel the show.

It's also worth stating that Amazon rarely releases viewing figures for its TV Originals. Indeed, the e-commerce giant's entertainment division only does so if one of Prime Video's new movies, or a new or returning TV show, performs better than expected. For now, I can't say if The Wheel of Time season 3 will get a follow-up, but I'll update this section once I learn more.

For more Prime Video-based coverage, read our guides on The Rings of Power season 3, Mr and Mrs Smith season 2, Fallout season 2, and The Boys season 5.