In a blink-and-you-miss-it teaser for Amazon’s upcoming series The Wheel of Time, Rosamund Pike's Moiraine Damodred utters eight words: "Do not underestimate the women in this tower." Her face appears mid-way into the sentence; her eyes are shut and the wind is blowing her hair back. Yet, right before the moment ends, her eyes open wide to stare directly into the camera. The intensity is palpable. The power Pike will wield as the show’s lead character becomes all the more evident. The new footage teasing Pike's transformation into Moiraine arrives just one month after The Wheel of Time premiered its first footage from the series on Twitter.
The Wheel of Time, based on the novel series of the same name by Robert Jordan, takes place in a fantasy world where magic exists. Yet, there’s a catch: only women can wield it. The story chronicles Moiraine (Pike), the head of a clandestine organization known as the Aes Sedai, as she dares to confront death-defying dangers in a world-spanning epic.
Rafe Judkins has adapted the novel for the small screen and he will also serve as the series showrunner. Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television co-produced the show. Pike is joined by series regulars Madeleine Madden, Marcus Rutherford, Barney Harris, Zoe Robins and Joshua Stradowski.
The Golden-Globe nominated Pike is still riding the wave of hype that immediately followed the release of Netflix's I Care a Lot, in which she plays a ruthless woman taking advantage of the elderly. Many still remember her for an unpredictably twisted turn as in Amy Dunne in Gone Girl. When it comes to portraying brave and bold, fearless and forthright women, Pike is in her sweet spot. But, this time around, she gets to play a hero.
Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke previously spoke about the upcoming series, stating, "The Wheel of Time is endlessly fascinating and resonates hugely with fans as one of the best-selling global properties, and we were drawn to its timely narrative featuring powerful women at the core."
While Amazon has yet to confirm a specific release date for the series. Check out the first look at Pike as Moraine below.
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