TheMistbornmovie adaptation received a disappointing update from author Brandon Sanderson, butthis could actually be an opportunity to right the ship. Talks ofMistbornbeing adapted into live-action have gone on for over a decade, particularly after the fantasy boom that followed HBO’s monster success withGame of Thrones. Every streaming service has wanted its own series to mimic that success, andSanderson’s expansive Cosmere universeseems like the perfect place to start. Combining the appeal for fantasy with the appeal for shared universes like the MCU seems like a no-brainer, yet it’s no closer to being done.
Before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023, Brandon Sanderson was well on his way with aMistbornadaptation. In his 2024State of Sandersonblog post, where he shares annual updates regarding all of his ongoing projects,Sanderson explained that the movie was nearly off the ground, with recognizable stars(though he won’t be mentioning any names) attached to play the leading roles. Unfortunately, theMistbornmovie adaptation has since fallen through, and the author claims that Cosmere adaptations are back to square one. It’s disappointing, but it could be a blessing in disguise.
The Mistborn Movie’s Disappointing Status Update Is A Chance To Rethink The Adaptation
Mistborn Might Be Best As A Prestige TV Series
Brandon Sanderson is known for being as transparent with his fans as possible, updating readers on book progress through his website, YouTube channel, and podcast. Hollywood adaptations come with their own degree of secrecy that inhibits what he’s allowed to share, but he’s still been vocal over the years on how he would like to see his books adapted.He’s long been particular aboutMistbornbeing a feature filmdespite the success of fantasy on television. In a YouTube livestream from 2020, he said the following:
I do have to warn you, there isn’t a lot of time in the screenplay for the crew. If I’m gonna do this as a film… Which it’s not set in stone; it’s possible that I’ll move to a show.But right now, what I’m planning is: film, television show forWell of Ascension, film. Which means that mostly in the first film, it is focused on Vin, Kelsier, Sazed, and Elend. That’s gotta be the core of our film.With Shan as an antagonist. And that’s the movie. And I can’t spend as much time with each of the crew members, like I did. But what we can do is, we can then move into Well of Ascension as a show, and with that being a show really show the crew and the things they’re doing. And kind of write a heist with the crew where the crew is trying to heist keeping the kingdom from collapsing. A thieving crew has been put in charge of a city; let’s see if they can keep this empire going. And I think that will work really well in television show format. And that’s where we can get into some the things with OreSeur and TenSoon and character arcs for some of the crew members, really get to know Ham and Breeze and everybody.
That’s the big cost by doing it in a film. That’s the thing you’re gonna have to understand, as it becomes really Vin and Kelsier’s story. And I think it’s gonna work. I think it is great.But if it doesn’t, we do have the option of just doing a television show. Which I know a lot of you would rather see; I just seeMistbornas a film. I’ve always seen it as a feature film.So I’m hoping I can make it work.
This quote is years old, so it’s possible Brandon Sanderson’s thoughts on adaptation have changed since. However, assuming this is generally the same thought process, it’s worth speculating on whether the most recent creative differences would be the breaking point for his pivoting to television. The author has stated that not needing money has allowed him more freedom to make choices and reject Hollywood offers than most writers would have, so it’s hard to say how long he’ll stick to his guns on wanting a movie if plans keep falling through.
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With The Mistborn Movie At “Square One,” There’s An Opportunity To Adapt It For TV
It’s The Perfect Time To Reassess What Mistborn Should Look Like In Visual Media
If theMistbornmovie is back to square one,it’s the perfect time to contemplate the Cosmere as a television universe. There’s something to be said about seeing Sanderson’s inherently cinematic narratives on the big screen, but contemporary television has proven to be just as capable of providing visual excellence and event-like excitement when done right. Jumping from movies to TV shows works for something likeMarvelandStar Wars, as they’re already titles that exist in broader pop culture.Mistbornand the Cosmere continue to grow, but trying to mesh television and film from the get-go could get convoluted.
It’s important thatMistbornandThe Stormlight Archive, the main theaters of the Cosmere, be as fully fleshed out as possible.
Posing the Cosmere as a primarily television fantasy universe, similar to what HBO and Netflix have been attempting withGame of ThronesandThe Witcher, seems like the best course to really develop the complex, long-term storytelling Sanderson’s books offer.The Witcherhas even had animated spinoff movies, which could be done for shorter books likeTress of the Emerald Seaor the Cosmere novellas, fulfilling the desires of fans who want Sanderson’s world in animation. It’s important thatMistbornandThe Stormlight Archive, the main theaters of the Cosmere, be as fully fleshed out as possible.
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Why Mistborn Would Be Better As A TV Show Than A Feature Film
A Mistborn Movie Would Cut A Significant Amount Of The Story
It’s important to break downwhy exactlyMistbornwould work as a TV show. While word count isn’t always the perfect metric to determine how something would translate to adaptation, it’s one of the best metrics available, and it’s worth breaking down.The Final Empireis just over 200,000 pages, making it longer thanThe Fellowship of the Ring, a three-hour movie, andThe Deathly Hallows, a story split into two films. It’s shorter thanA Game of Thrones, a novel that was almost perfectly adapted into a ten-episode season of television.
210,103
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
198, 227
177,227
A Game of Thrones
292,727
With this in mind,Mistbornwould either need to leave out a significant part of its material, as Sanderson suggested, or it would have to be upwards of three hours, something Hollywood probably wouldn’t be interested in making. Sticking to the core characters makes sense, but with so many fantasy adaptations missing the mark with fans due to excessive source material changes, trying to develop a story as beloved asMistbornwith the most faithful interpretation possible seems worthwhile. An eight-episode television series could be perfect.
Mistborn
TheMistbornseries, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a high-fantasy saga set in the world of Scadrial, where magic is powered by metals through a system called Allomancy. The series focuses on political intrigue, heists, and the battle between good and evil. The first trilogy,Mistborn: The Final Empire, follows the struggle to overthrow a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler. Later books in the series, includingEra 2, take place hundreds of years after the events of the original trilogy, expanding the story into new settings with new characters, all while maintaining connections to the original storyline.Books:Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006)Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007)Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008)Mistborn: The Alloy of Law (2011)Mistborn: Shadows of Self (2015)Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning (2016)Mistborn: The Lost Metal (2022)
