A number of new projects based on Robert Jordan’s fantasy novel “The Wheel of Time” are in the works by IP owner iwot Studios and “Arcane” producer and Riot Games’ “League of Legends” veteran Thomas Vu.
Under iwot’s new production partnership with Vu and Anthony Volquez’s media company Initiate Entertainment, the companies will work with iwot Studios CEO Rick Selvidge and chief operating officer Larry Mondragon (both producers of Amazon’s now-ended live-action TV series The Wheel of Time) to develop and produce new video games, animated feature films, and new animated television series based on The Wheel of Time.
Vu’s new PC/mobile video game “Wheel of Time” is “aimed to expand the franchise’s reach across platforms and engage fans around the world,” while the film and TV series project, which doesn’t yet have a streamer or distributor attached, “is designed to target younger audiences and expand the franchise’s global reach.”
See above for Variety’s exclusive first look at Vu’s proof-of-concept rendering of Wheel of Time character Rand al’Thor, provided by iwot Studios.
iwot confirmed to Variety that these Vu projects are “separate” from previously announced upcoming Wheel of Time films, including the 3D feature The White Tower and Kari Skoglund’s live-action film Age of Legends, as well as the open-world AAA RPG video game that iwot Studios is currently developing at iwot Games Montreal.
These new projects follow iwot Studios’ recently announced joint venture platform with Framestore and are the latest in iwot’s long-term transmedia strategy, The Wheel of Time, following the cancellation of the live-action TV series on Amazon last May.
Vu, who previously served as head of creative and IP franchises at League of Legends maker Riot Games, is best known for shaping the wildly popular online video game with over 100 million monthly active players and franchises across esports, music, gaming and television. Vu also served as an executive producer on Netflix’s acclaimed animated series Arcane, which is based on a video game.
Borquez is the founder of Grab Games and co-founder of Grab Labs, an AI development company focused on the video games and entertainment industry through interactive storytelling and immersive experiences. Volquez co-founded the video games program at the University of Southern California School of Engineering.
“We see a huge opportunity in expanding ‘The Wheel of Time’ into a fully authentic, integrated, interactive and animated storytelling experience,” Vu said. “The depth of the mythology is the foundation for the continued growth of our multiplatform series.”
“Thomas has consistently demonstrated the ability to expand story worlds into global entertainment franchises,” said iwot Studios CEO Rick Selvidge. “His background at the intersection of storytelling, technology and franchise architecture makes him an excellent fit to help expand ‘The Wheel of Time’ in new immersive formats. We look forward to working closely with Thomas and Anthony to bring the next chapter of ‘The Wheel of Time’ to audiences around the world.”
