Brandon Sanderson, Apple TV, and the Perils of Cosmere Adaptation
On January 28, 2026, Apple TV acquired adaptation rights to two of Brandon Sanderson’s major Cosmere series: Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive . Early coverage described the agreement as encompassing the Cosmere as a whole, but Reactor later corrected its initial report after Sanderson’s agent clarified the scope. The intended division makes immediate sense. Mistborn is being developed for feature films, while The Stormlight Archive is intended for television. More unusually, Sanderson has since confirmed that he is writing the Mistborn screenplay and will co-showrun Stormlight , while the deal reportedly gives him unusually broad creative approval. That level of involvement is genuinely encouraging. It is not, by itself, a guarantee. Cover image: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, published by Tor Books. Used here for purposes of commentary. Creative Control Is a Safeguard, Not a Solution Hollywood adaptations of popular fantasy and science ...