Available since November 19 on Prime Video, The Wheel of Time is a pure fantasy series that brings together all the ingredients of the genre: monsters, magic tricks and long crossings through the lands. We are going to be interested in the places
The Wheel of Time, the latest blockbuster to date from Prime Video, a fantasy series that Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), member of Aes Sedai, a powerful organization of women who are the only ones to hold the One Power. She embarks on a long epic through the remote lands of Deux-Rivières and Andor.
Convinced that one of her young companions – whom she embarked almost by force – is the reincarnation of the Dragon, she hopes to be able to identify this chosen one who holds the fate of the world in her hands. To achieve this fantastic epic, the series features numerous settings, quite sumptuous, ranging from magical landscapes to desolate plains, passing by vast castles or ancient villages.
But where did the production team go to get all these landscapes and sets? We learn from the magazine The Cinemaholic that the shooting took place mainly in the Czech Republic. More precisely, the production was based in Prague. And the shooting took place both on location and in the studio.
The scale of the production is such that an exclusive studio, named Jordan Studios (after the author of the books from which the series is adapted), has been established in the Letňany district of Prague. Since filming – like any production of this magnitude – is shrouded in secrecy, this studio was built in a converted 32,000 square meter truck factory, allowing production to remain underground.
Several outdoor locations were also used for the shots. One of these places is a quarry, about 32 km from Prague, where a fake town called the Two Rivers was built and then set on fire for the filming of several scenes. With an announced budget of over $ 10 million per episode, the production involves hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of people in the cast and crew.
The tounage also moved for a few scenes in Dubrovnik, Croatia, known for its old quarters. The well-preserved buildings of the old town are no stranger to film buffs and series fans as they have regularly served as the backdrops for major productions and in particular that of Game of Thrones.
As for the mountainous town of Bovec in northwestern Slovenia, its beautiful natural landscape provides a breathtaking backdrop. Getting the equipment to some of the filming locations was a real challenge, as the equipment was transported by 4×4 as the terrain made it impossible for trucks to access the sites. Filming also takes place in and around the nearby village of Soča.
Interestingly, the locations are selected keeping in mind the special effects that will be added in post-production. As a result, a lot of spotting and even the selection of the time when the shooting will take place was done in conjunction with the special effects department.
The island of Tenerife, which is part of the Canaries, also hosted the shooting for a few scenes. And rumors are already starting to circulate concerning Morocco which could host season 2 for the Desert des Aiels. Filming for season 1 began in September 2019, but was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. The resumption did not take place until April 2021 and ended a month later. But production continued with the filming of season 2, which began in July 2021 and should continue until February 2022.
