In the modern landscape of fantasy fiction, few authors have the same prominence as Brandon Sanderson. Known for his prolific writing and having sold over 50 million copies of his novels within two decades of his debut, “Elantris,” it has long been a question of when, not if, his works would be adapted. Efficient with communicating with his readers over social media platforms, he has been vocal since at least 2020 about adaptations and how he would want to be involved.
In late January, it was announced that Apple TV had acquired the rights to adapt Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere-related works, beginning with film adaptations of the “Mistborn” series and a TV adaptation of “The Stormlight Archive.” The article from The Hollywood Reporter that broke the news reported the deal gives Sanderson “rarefied control over the screen translations, according to sources. Sanderson will be the architect of the universe; will write, produce, and consult; and will have approvals. That’s a level of involvement that not even J.K. Rowling or George R.R. Martin enjoy[s].”
Loath as I am to reference Rowling, a deal granting him such creative control shows the influence Sanderson has garnered without any previous adaptations. However, as much as I would like to suggest that if it proves successful, this deal could lead to more like it, where authors are given similar influence. Sanderson’s might be unique due to how he’s positioned himself and his increasing success over the last five years.
The Mistborn trilogy is viewed as the gateway series to Sanderson and the “Cosmere,” although it was the third novel of his that I read. With hindsight, it’s better to read before “The Way of Kings,” the first “Stormlight” novel. Initially published as “The Final Empire” in 2006, the original Mistborn is an epic fantasy taking inspiration from heist stories with a crew assembled for an impossible job. It is set in a world with Gothic architecture, thick mists, and ash spewed from volcanoes clogging the sky. The world’s magic, known as Allomancy, comes from ingesting specific metals to grant unique powers.
Those who can access all these powers are called mistborn. With the right creative team behind it, Scadrial would look breathtaking, especially on the big screen, if Apple pushed for a wide theatrical release similar to the likes of “F1:The Movie.” I would assume in that case Apple would push for a PG-13 rating for as broad an audience as possible, which might be to the story’s detriment. Despite attempts at Young Adult fiction marketing over the years, the trilogy is quite dark, with some truly horrifying moments and characters who have iron spikes in the place of eyes. Thematically, it explores leadership and the consequences of choices that, if translated well, would feel incredible to see in a contemporary landscape of blockbusters where most tend to shy away from grappling with their ideas.
Sanderson has had several previous attempts at adaptation, most of which have been attempts at a “Mistborn” film. Not long after the news broke, Sanderson said he would be spending five months working on the screenplay for the film. As a first adaptation, it makes sense, as it’s widely regarded as an entry point that could bring a new wave of readers to his work. Commercial success would obviously lead to adaptations for “The Well of Ascension” and “The Hero of Ages” to complete the trilogy.
These could be large-scale films. The first “Mistborn” novel exceeds 600 pages, and its sequels rival the length of major fantasy titles like “The Fellowship of the Ring,” though how that translates to runtime will depend on the adaptation. In a recent episode of his podcast “Intentionally Blank,” Sanderson said the next announcement would likely be a producer, and pointed to the filmmaking approaches of James Gunn and Rian Johnson—prioritizing strong scripts to avoid reshoots and keep budgets in check.
TV is the correct medium to adapt “The Stormlight Archive,” Sanderson’s planned ten-book fantasy epic, due to the dense nature of the source material. Theresa Kang-Lowe, a producer of Apple’s critically acclaimed show “Pachinko,” and her company Blue Marble Pictures, are attached to the project. As that show explores family and different time periods, it seems like a sensible choice. The immense cast of “Stormlight” battles inner demons, with a magic system that, in basic terms, rewards them for character development with a “level up” of sorts.
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The world of Roshar is vast and stunning, built around striking landscapes full of crustacean creatures, massive storms, and small spirits called Spren that appear when people feel specific emotions. It is full of unique cultures and ancient secrets that slowly unveil themselves as the series goes on. This is not a story that would benefit from the eight-episode seasons we have become accustomed to in the age of streaming, and with his level of control, Sanderson knows this. He was a consulting producer on Prime Video’s ill-fated “The Wheel of Time,” which meant he read the scripts and provided notes.
For any reader who has watched that show, it is always apparent that the episode count was too small to properly pace the long source material. With each “Stormlight” novel running over 1,000 pages, the adaptation would need a similarly expansive runtime to properly develop characters like Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar. This would allow audiences to truly know them, so that their moments of triumph and despair carry far greater emotional weight than they would in a compressed format. Done right, a “Stormlight Archive” TV show could come to dominate the internet in the same way “Game of Thrones” did.
As for the future of fantasy and sci-fi in film and TV, should this deal yield critical and commercial success, I would hope it leads to more faithful and carefully made adaptations that focus on what makes them unique. There are so many great novel series out there that deserve to be introduced to a wider audience. “Hierarchy” by James Islington, “Farseer” by Robin Hobb, “The Green Bone” Saga by Fonda Lee, “First Law” by Joe Abercrombie, “The Sun Eater” by Christopher Ruocchico, and “The Poppy War” by RF Kuang, to name a few.
However, there is a risk of repeating what happened after “Game of Thrones,” when every streaming service chased a similar level of popularity. In doing so, many focused only on the violence, sex, and political intrigue, forcing those elements into stories where they did not belong. Look at Prime Video’s “The Wheel of Time,” the first season of which had the constant mantra about being “the next Game of Thrones” in the marketing.
Of course, it may never reach those heights. And perhaps in fifteen or twenty years, we will be asking for “the next Mistborn,” “the next Stormlight,” or “the next Cosmere,” instead of judging each film or show on its own strengths and flaws. If the current state of fantasy and TV has proved anything, it’s that this model is unsustainable and unhealthy for creating consistently quality TV shows.
Another issue is the works themselves. The original “Mistborn” trilogy, the first three Stormlight novels, and other Cosmere projects are pretty beloved. However, his recent work, such as “The Lost Metal,” the finale of Mistborn’s second era, and “Wind and Truth,” the midpoint of “The Stormlight Archive,” has been less well received. A core reason for this is an issue the MCU has faced since “Avengers: Endgame.” Many films are weighed down by set-ups that interfere with the main story, creating a sense that keeping up with them feels like homework.
At the start, the Cosmere references were fun little details if you had read another series or standalone novel like “Warbreaker” (which, like “Elantris,” has a sequel novel now planned), and did not interrupt the experience if you had not. Now the big series are veering towards an MCUification that could hinder the quality of the adaptation when they get there. There is also a chance that involvement in the adaptations could slow Sanderson’s writing, as he has stated he would like to be on set for the entirety of the “Mistborn” shoot. Try as we might, the spectre of “Game of Thrones” going beyond the yet-to-be-published novels and declining in quality will forever hang over adaptations in these genres.
Despite these risks, this is a question for the future. For now, all we can do is wait and see for more news on these Cosmere adaptations, and hopefully, what comes out of this detail sets the stage for a more sustainable, creator-driven future for the genres of fantasy and sci-fi in film and TV.
