The Stormlight Archiveis one of the biggest contemporary fantasy book franchises, and it’s far from Brandon Sanderson’s only iconic work. In December of 2024, Sanderson releasedWind and Truth, the fifth installment ofThe Stormlight Archive. InState of Sanderson, the author mentioned that he’s going to step back from this particular series for a little while now that the first sequence is complete. Based on this and some of his other updates, it seems that any hope fora screen adaptation ofThe Stormlight Archivewill be on the back burner,but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Like all of Sanderson’s projects,The Stormlight Archiveis a rich and complex narrative with many layered elements, making it suited for a television iteration if it’s ever brought to life onscreen. However, thoughWind and Truthdelivered many satisfyingStormlight Archivemoments, it’s far from the final installment of the series, even if it wraps up this particular arc and narrative sequence. As seen with projects likeGame of Thrones,sometimes it’s best to wait until an author has completed their plans for a series before translating the work to filmor television.
Why The Stormlight Archive Adaptation May Not Happen Anytime Soon
Updates for Sanderson’s other projects create a disappointing trend
TheMistbornmovie’s fateis a good indicator that any forward momentum inThe Stormlight Archivelikely won’t be coming for a long time. Though there was forward momentum in bringing this niche of theCosmereto life, theMistbornfilm stalled out, which isn’t a good sign forThe Stormlight Archive. Sanderson mentioned thattheMistbornmovie was briefly pretty far along in development,but clashes between studios and creative producers put it back at square one. While this doesn’t directly impactThe Stormlight Archive, it makes sense thatMistbornwould be adapted first.
SinceMistbornhas already been postponed seemingly indefinitely, it would be even more difficult to start the process over again withThe Stormlight Archive.
If anything,Mistbornwould be easier to adapt, as it’s a little more manageable in terms of its characters and world. SinceMistbornhas already been postponed seemingly indefinitely, it would be even more difficult to start the process over again withThe Stormlight Archive. Sanderson is likely focusing his energy onMistbornfor the time being. Though it’s disappointing that audiences won’t get to see Sanderson’s vivid world come to life in the near future, it makes sense that the author and potential studios would want to take their time.
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The Stormlight Archive’s Adaptation Shouldn’t Happen Until All The Books Are Finished
Only the first five installments of The Stormlight Archive have been written
It’s hard to say when Sanderson will completeThe Stormlight Archive. However, based on the breadth of the world and the number of projects the author is actively working on, the late 2030s would be the earliest that he would finishThe Stormlight Archive. Sanderson has a lot of detailed plans for the future ofThe Stormlight Archive, and whilethe next books will incorporate a time jump followingWind and Truth,this doesn’t mean a TV show should begin development. Adapting the first sequence without knowing what’s going to come next could be a fatal mistake.
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A lot could happen between now and the release ofThe Stormlight Archive’s next installment, making the future of a TV show uncertain. It would be terrible if the series began by following the story of the first five books, and then Sanderson’s plans changed, and there was an even bigger break in the story, creating a gap between seasons. If there’s anything to be learned from other fantasy TV shows,a long wait between seasons and a lack of strong source material can kill the momentum of a project.
What Brandon Sanderson Has Said About Adapting The Stormlight Archive Books
Sanderson is very open about his progress on film and TV adaptations
Sanderson has stated that he would want to be deeply creatively involved in aStormlight ArchiveTV show and that these screen adaptations are on his mind (viaCoppermind). In the 2024 State of Sanderson, he mentioned that other offers and opportunities withinCosmerehave come up, but he’s been dedicating his time and energy toMistborn. Though Sanderson is unquestionably open to screen iterations of his work, it’s important to remember thathis first priority is ensuring the adaptation is faithful to the source material and will connect with fans.
Sinceevery book inThe Stormlight Archiveis a project so close to Sanderson and longtime followers of his work, starting a movie or TV show without the proper time and consideration would go against his sensibilities as a writer. Sanderson has spent many years carefully craftingThe Stormlight Archive, so it would be better for any television iteration to be delayed until the time is right rather than get the story wrong or let the project get buried by bureaucracy.
The Stormlight Archive
The Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson, set on the storm-ravaged world of Roshar. The series follows multiple characters, each with their unique storylines, as they navigate political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and powerful magic. Central to the story are the Knights Radiant, legendary warriors with magical abilities who must return to save their world from impending destruction. The series explores themes of honor, leadership, and the burden of power.
