Amazon Cancels Multiple Big-Budget Genre Series

Amazon Prime Video has canceled 'Étoile,' a ballet dramedy, after just one season despite an initial two-season order, citing high production costs and modest commercial performance. This decision is part of a recent pattern that also saw the end of the fantasy series 'The Wheel of Time' after three seasons, despite its final season receiving critical praise and strong fan support. Showrunner Rafe Judkins and author Brandon Sanderson publicly criticized the 'Wheel of Time' cancellation and confirmed the series will not move to another platform. The cancellations reflect a growing trend among streaming services to reduce the number of big-budget genre shows in response to cost concerns. Amazon, however, remains committed to its other major fantasy series, 'The Rings of Power,' and is exploring syndication to increase revenue. These developments underscore the challenges ambitious original programming faces in the current streaming landscape.