It would appear that “Wheel of Time” is a massive hit for Amazon Prime Video. No, the streamer won’t tell people HOW BIG. However, we should just take the studio’s word for it, apparently. And as proof of how the fantasy series is doing so well, Amazon is talking about expanding with more high-concept, big-budget series in the future, including a show based on the top-rated video game franchise, “Mass Effect.”
As mentioned in the recent report from Deadline, Amazon is touting the popularity of the first episode of “Wheel of Time,” saying it’s one of the Top 5 biggest debuts for a series ever on the streaming service, with executive Jennifer Salke saying the show is “definitely trending to exceed our expectations which were high.” And because of this, Amazon is betting big on, well, big-budget TV series, such as the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” series coming in 2022. And one of the franchises it’s hoping to expand with is “Mass Effect.”
The report claims that Amazon is close to crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s on a deal to bring “Mass Effect” to Amazon Prime Video in the future. For those that don’t know, “Mass Effect” is a popular video game series that takes place far in the future when humans have become the latest race to join the alien alliance after the discovery of Mass Effect relays, which can bend space and time, allowing for faster-than-light travel. Now, humans have to integrate themselves into the world of various other alien races while also preparing for the next big fight against the ancient aliens who claim to have created the universe.
“Mass Effect” is a sprawling game series that has spanned multiple hours-long stories, so there’s plenty of ground to cover in the potential show. Of course, much like “Wheel of Time” and “Lord of the Rings,” the cost of a “Mass Effect” TV series would be massive. So, it’s interesting to see Amazon take the approach of “more is more,” so to speak.
Obviously, we’re still in the very early stages of figuring out when “Mass Effect” will arrive on Amazon, but it does appear to be in the works.