The Wheel of Time season 2: release date, cast, plot, and more

It's official: The Wheel of Time season 2 will finally debut on Prime Video in September. It's been a long wait for the high fantasy show's next installment, but we can begin counting down the months to its launch, now that an official release date has been announced.

It's about time, too. The Wheel of Time is one of the best Prime Video shows, in our opinion, and we need a fantasy series to fill the void left by The Rings of Power. So, you're as keen as we are to be reunited with Rand, Moiraine and company, you'll want to read every single detail about the show's next outing in our guide.

Below, then, we've rounded up everything we can find on its launch date, cast list, story details, the Prime Video show's future, and more. If there's no news on something here, it's because the wheel has willed it into existence yet.

Major spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time season 1. Potential spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time's second season, plus Robert Jordan's high fantasy books that the series is based on, too.

The Wheel of Time season 2 release date

The Wheel of Time season 2 will spin its way onto Prime Video on September 1. Amazon Studios confirmed the second season's launch date in mid-May. We previously speculated that it would arrive in August, so we weren't far off in our estimate. Here's hoping an official trailer follows suit soon. Speaking of which…

The Wheel of Time season 2 trailer

The Wheel of Time season 2's first teaser was released in October 2022. It opens with a fast-paced, still image-based montage of the first season's key moments. It's not until the 0:25 mark that the season 2 footage begins, but it looks suitably foreboding, action-packed, thrilling, and fantastical.

The teaser arrived three months after a behind-the-scenes look at the show's next installment was released, too:

The Wheel of Time season 2 cast

Here's the The Wheel of Time season 2's confirmed cast so far:

• Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred 
• Daniel Henney as Lan Mandragoran 
• Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor 
• Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al’Meara 
• Madeleine Madden as Egwene al’Vere 
• Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara 
• Dónal Finn as Mat Cauthon 
• Fares Fares as The Dark One 
• Johann Myers as Padan Fain
• Sophie Okonedo as Siuan Sanche
• Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand
• Meera Syal as Verin
• Ayoola Smart as Aviendha
• Maja Simonsen as Chiad
• Ragga Ragnars as Bain
• Jay Duffy as Dain Bornhald
• Rima Te Wiata as Sheriam Bayanar

Nine of the first 10 actors on the list above reprise their respective roles from season 1. Dónal Finn (Cursed) is the only new main cast member among them, who replaced Mat Cauthon as Barney Harris. In September 2021, we reported Harris was no longer part of the cast, with no reason given for his departure. 

Elsewhere, Alexandre Willaume's Thom Merrilin has also confirmed he isn't returning (per The Mighty Dragon podcast). However, of the season 1 supporting cast members we haven't listed above, Kate Fleetword’s Liandrin and Kae Alexander’s Min Farshaw might be back. 

Why 'might' and not 'will'? The first season’s plot pulled from multiple books in Robert Jordan’s book series, plus showrunner Rafe Judkins took some creative liberties with how the source material's expansive plot plays out. If The Wheel of Time's second season diverges from the books again, we may not see Liandrin or Min return, even though they have roles in the second and third novels, aka The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn, which season 2 is based on.

Ceara Coveney – in her first major acting role – will portray a hugely significant character in Elayne Trakand. In the novels, Elayne is Queen of Andor and Cairhien, and one of the most powerful Aes Sedai. 

Meera Syal (Paddington 2, Doctor Who) will play Verin Mathwin, an Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah (per Nerdist) who has a big part to play in The Great Hunt. Ayoola Smart (Killing Eve, Cocaine Bear) has been cast as Aviendha, a Wise One from the Nine Valleys sept and one of Rand's love interests. 

Four other cast announcements were also made as part of JordanCon 2023. Per Deadline, Maja Simonsen (The King's Man) will portray Chiad, a Maiden of the Spear of the Stones River sept of the Goshien Aiel. She'll be bonded as a first-sister to Bain, the other half of the fan-favorite sibling duo, who'll be played by Ragga Ragnars (Vikings).

Jay Duffy (Derry Girls) has been cast as Dain Bornhald, a high-ranking officer of the Children of the Light, aka the Whitecloaks we saw in season 1. Lastly, Rima Te Wiata (Joyride) plays Sheriam Bayanar, an high-ranking Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.

Potential season 2 cast spoilers follow.

Here's a rundown of other rumors and announcements relating to season 2's cast:

• Katie Yeung as Yasicca Celleach, a member of the Aes Sedai and an ancient scholar
• Gary Beadle as Elyas Machera, a Warder who is a wolfbrother like Perrin
• Laia Costa as Magdelena
• Salle Salee as Elsa Treehill
• Julian Lewis Jones as Bayle Dormon
• Daniel Francis as High Lord Turak
• Elena Fokina as an unnamed sul’dam

Deadline claims Guy Roberts (Hanna), Arnas Fedaravicius (The Last Kingdom), and Gregg Chillingirian (A Discovery of Witches) will play supporting roles. Roberts will reportedly portray Uno Nomesta, a one-eyed soldier who served Lord Agelmar before the latter's death in the season 1 finale. Fedaravicius will play Masema, another of Agelmar's former charges. Finally, Chillingirian portrays Ingtar Shinowa, a warrior from war-torn lands.

WoTseries.com suggests Marie-France Alvarez (Paddington 2) will portray another Aes Sedai called Celestin. The same fansite website suggests Ken Bradshaw (Eastenders, Wire in the Blood) will play Asan Sandair, a city guard who crosses paths with Rand.

In an interview with The Press and Journal, Stewart Kenneth Moore (Carnival Row) confirmed he has a bit-part role. Moore refused to reveal his character's identity, but hinted that he'll turn up in episode 5 for a “fairly memorable scene.”

Finally, The Witcher fansite Redandian Intelligence claims four other actors have been joined the party, including Laura Crowhurst (The Last Bus) and newcomer Natasha J. Murley. Game of Thrones' Will Tudor will also allegedly play Barthanes Damodred, a relative of Moiraine's, while Haruka Kuroda (Killing Eve) is set to portray one of Min Farshaw's aunts.

The Wheel of Time season 2 plot

Spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time season 1.

Here's the official plot synopsis for season 2, courtesy of Amazon Studios: “The Wheel of Time turns, and the Last Battle approaches. Though Rand thought he destroyed the Dark One, evil is not gone from the world. In season two, threats new and very old seek out the young friends from the Two Rivers, now scattered over the world. The woman who found and guided them is now powerless to help, and so they must find other sources of strength. In each other, or themselves. In the Light … or the Dark.”

The first episode is called 'A Taste of Solitude' and, per Prime Video's Fanology Twitter account, that title sets up the season's overall theme of loneliness. That's not surprising, given Amazon has pulled a Fellowship of the Ring-style move and broken up our merry band of heroes.

According to Entertainment Weekly (EW), Rand – aka the Dragon Reborn – has gone into hiding after temporarily defeating The Dark One. The Dragon Reborn is a prophesied, all-powerful channeler of the One Power fated to save or destroy the world. Rand considers himself dangerous to everyone so, in the season 1 finale, he asks Moiraine to tell his friends that he perished while fighting The Dark One so they don’t come looking for him. Josha Stradowski, who plays Rand, says the character’s season 2 arc will be built around redefining his identity (via The Wrap).

As for Moiraine, The Dark One destroyed her connection to the Source, which is where Aes Sedai draw the One Power from. Unable to channel her powers, the dynamic of Moiraine and Lan’s relationship will shift significantly and lead Moiraine to return to her hometown of Cairhien.

The duo hardly feature in The Wheel of Time’s second book, aka The Great Hunt, but Judkins told CBR.com that their upcoming arcs will comprise wholly original content created specifically for the TV adaptation, as “you can't sideline Rosamund Pike and Daniel Henney in a season of television”. Meanwhile, Egwene and Nynaeve will begin formal training to tap into the One Power (via EW) after they temporarily did so in the final episode of the first season.

That episode also teased the arrival of the Seanchan – a villainous, seafaring empire that has ambitions on conquering The Wheel of Time’s main continent. Asked by Collider how they’ll make a *ahem* splash, Judkins said: “Everything's following this traditional fantasy format coming out of the first book. In the second book, the Seanchan come out of nowhere and slap our characters, so we really wanted to have them function the same way in the show. We get this nod to them at the end of season 1 but, in season 2, the Seanchan arrive and they affect the story.”

Elaborating on their role, Judkins told New York Comic-Con 2021 attendees (via SyFy.com): “The Seanchan come in and sideswipe every story in the show. They sideswipe the show as much as they do the books and it's a really cool storytelling device that Robert Jordan built and I think it's so special and I've been so excited to bring it to the screen.”

There are many other branching narratives and subplots that the second season needs to continue exploring, too. Judkins confirmed to Nerdist that “we'll certainly see” more of the backstory of Lews Therin, aka the first Dragon, as The Wheel of Time's TV adaptation progresses. Judkins also teased the potential introduction of Gawyn and Faile, who are important characters in Egwene and Perrin’s stories, and the possibility of Rand and Min interacting more (per CBR). As for Mat, Judkins revealed he's heading for the White Tower – the Aes Sedai’s stronghold – in the season 1 finale.

We’re also expecting to learn more about Perrin’s wolfbrother powers and hope our heroes will get the Horn of Valere – a key item in the final battle with The Dark One – back after Padan Fain stole it in the season 1 finale. The love triangle between Moiraine, Lan, and Nynaeve is also set to be examined in more detail (via Inverse).

The Wheel of Time’s next entry will also cover plot elements from multiple novels, Judkins telling EW: “[Audiences] will see that some characters are diving more into their book two story in season 2, and some of them are diving more into their book three story. We have a big round-up point at the end of season 2 that reconnects everything and pushes us off in a new direction where we've completed all the stories we need to get through.”

Additionally, we can expect blood – and lots of it, according to Daniel Henney (via ContentMode). Judkins also told TVLine: “More characters will die in the show than in the books, because we cannot carry a cast of 2,000 actors for seven seasons!” Prepare for your favorite characters to potentially perish at some point, then.

Finally, Judkins took to Twitter to answer fans' season 2 questions during some post-production downtime. One key detail confirms the introduction of the Forsaken, i.e. channelers who serve the side of Shadow in the War of Power. Fans can expect to see more new locations, such as Tear and Falme in The Wheel of Time season 2, as well.

Will The Wheel of Time get more seasons?

The Wheel of Time season 2 won't be the final entry in this live-action adaptation, with Amazon renewing it for a third season. According to WoTseries.com, filming has already begun on the show's next installment.

Interestingly, The Shadow Rising, which season 3 will be based on, is the fourth book in Jordan's epic fantasy book series. Given The Wheel of Time season 2 will adapt elements of books one through three, it makes sense that the series' third season will pick things up with book four.

As for future seasons, much will depend on audience interest and if Amazon feels it can fund its two big fantasy properties in The Wheel of Time and The Rings of Power. The latter's premiere was the biggest Prime Video launch of all-time so, if only one show is continually greenlit, it's likely to be its Lord of the Rings show, which is already returning for The Rings of Power season 2.

That said, we'd still expect Amazon to renew The Wheel of Time for more seasons. Judkins has eight seasons mapped out, so it would be silly for Amazon to cancel the series midway through its run (if a fourth season is also greenlit). Here's hoping, then, that The Wheel of Time can keep rolling on until it reaches its end point.

For more Prime Video TV content, check out everything we know about Invincible season 2, as well as our picks of the best Prime Video movies and all of the new Prime Video movies to arrive on the streamer.