“Wheel Of Time”: FXX Showed A PILOT?!? (WITH VID!)

Apparently, at 1:30am this morning, FXX network aired a pilot for a secret series based on the worldwide best selling fantasy series “The Wheel Of Time” by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (respectively).

Wheel of Time is a sprawlingly massive 13 book series chronicling the ever lasting repetitive lives and times of three young men, and their ta’veren (linked by fate) personalities.  The initial author, Jordan, passed away  before the series came to conclusion, but had given the rest of the storylines to Sanderson, who had been picked to carry on the Wheel.  Long been rumored to be in development as a series (sort of like how Legend of The Seeker happened), this ‘pilot’ was a surprised to everyone, including Jordan’s widow.  Here is a statement she released via Ta’Veren Tees:

“This morning brought startling news. A “pilot” for a Wheel of Time series, the “pilot” being called Winter Dragon, had appeared at 1:30 in the morning, East Coast time, on FXX TV, a channel somewhere in the 700s (founded to concentrate on comedy, according to the Washington Post).

It was made without my knowledge or cooperation. I never saw the script. No one associated with Bandersnatch Group, the successor-in-interest to James O. Rigney, was aware of this.

Bandersnatch has an existing contract with Universal Pictures that grants television rights to them until this Wednesday, February 11 – at which point these rights revert to Bandersnatch.

I see no mention of Universal in the “pilot”. Nor, I repeat, was Bandersnatch, or Robert Jordan’s estate, informed of this in any way.

I am dumbfounded by this occurrence, and am taking steps to prevent its reoccurrence.”

We reached out to FXX’s reps for an official comment, and they responded with:

“This was client-supplied programming. For further comment, please reach out to Red Eagle Entertainment.”

A phonecall to Red Eagle‘s Rick Selvage yielded this quote:

“We can’t talk about it right now, additional announcements coming shortly, probably within the next few days. This video is a lead in to a well funded full series, with a tie in to Red Eagle’s mobile games.”

Charlie Jane Anders posted this interview piece with Selvage after we published our piece, so apparently he was more willing to talk with I09.

We also know now, tragically, the pilot’s director passed away from injuries caused by a car accident. The official memorial event for Seda James is here on facebook.

See for yourself, here is the 30 minute pilot FXX showed starring Billy Zane: