Apple TV+ Is Adapting Two Brandon Sanderson Series, And Fans Are Split

If you read fantasy, you probably know Brandon Sanderson. Apple TV+ just locked down his Cosmere universe, and they are not messing around: Mistborn is being developed as a movie, The Stormlight Archive is being built as a series, and Sanderson himself is stepping into the driver’s seat in a way most authors only dream about.

What Apple just bought (and what they’re making)

• Rights to Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere, the shared universe that includes The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn (among others).
• Mistborn is being targeted as a feature film.
• The Stormlight Archive is being developed as a TV series.
• Per The Hollywood Reporter, the deal is 'unprecedented' and gives Sanderson 'rarefied control' over the screen versions — he’ll write, produce, consult, and have approvals.

Why this is a big swing

Authors rarely get this much say once their work heads to screens. Even J.K. Rowling and George R.R. Martin didn’t have this kind of power on their initial adaptations. Sanderson having approvals, plus writing and producing duties, is a major safeguard for fans who care about the worldbuilding staying intact. And yes, that level of creative veto power is extremely rare.

Fans are already loud about it

Sanderson shared the report on X, and the replies were exactly what you think they were — joyous, nervous, extremely online. A few highlights:

'Thank fucking god. Let Sanderson cook!' - @curbyourinf

'hollywood gods, let these be good. first few stormlight archive books will be incredible tv.' - @gavinpurcell

'LFG!! As a long time fan (dating back to Elantris / Mistborn days!) I’m so happy for you. No one deserves it more.' - @haridigresses

Others chimed in that Apple TV+ feels like a good fit and crossed their fingers that the adaptations actually match the books’ scope.

Quick Cosmere primer (so the jargon makes sense)

The Cosmere kicked off with the killing of a being called Adonalsium by 17 conspirators. Its power fractured into 16 Shards; all but one of those conspirators took a Shard and went off to seed or amplify magic across different worlds. The Stormlight Archive is set on Roshar. Mistborn plays out on Scadrial. Both series are ongoing, and Mistborn is organized into distinct Eras, which helps explain why it makes sense as a film-first play while Stormlight’s scale screams TV.

Sanderson’s track record with adaptations

After Robert Jordan died, Sanderson finished the last three Wheel of Time novels at the request of Jordan’s wife and editor, Harriet McDougal. Those books later fed into Prime Video’s Wheel of Time series. With Cosmere, the difference is Sanderson isn’t just adjacent to the adaptation — he’s embedded in it. If these projects get the official greenlight, the hope is they can run long enough to do the books justice, now with the author actively steering.

Where this leaves things

It’s early days — big deal signed, development underway — but the foundation is strong. Sanderson is one of the 21st century’s most popular fantasy authors, with a fanbase that shows up. If Apple TV+ sticks the landing on a Mistborn film and a Stormlight series under his watch, these could break out well beyond the core fandom. No pressure.