Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe is headed to Apple TV.

In 2024, a conversation unfolded with renowned fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, who has sold over 50 million books, about the absence of movie or TV adaptations of his works despite his immense popularity and Hollywood’s fascination with epic fantasy. Sanderson expressed that he was waiting for the right moment and deal, stating, “I’m not convinced that we have hit stability in the streaming market. Streaming has had a big problem with epic fantasy, and this has me worried. […] Streaming hasn’t figured out epic fantasy yet.” When asked what would signal the right time for adaptations, he admitted, “The solid answer is: I don’t know. Hopefully, I will recognize it when I see it.”

It seems Sanderson has finally found the right conditions. Reports indicate he has secured a groundbreaking deal with Apple TV to adapt his expansive Cosmere universe. This agreement reportedly grants him substantial control over the adaptations, allowing him to act as both writer and producer, with final approval — a level of involvement that surpasses even that of other major fantasy authors.

The initial projects in development include the Mistborn trilogy, kicking off with 2006’s The Final Empire, and the Stormlight Archive series, starting with 2010’s The Way of Kings. The Mistborn series is being eyed for film adaptations, while the Stormlight Archive will be developed for television.

“You can’t really do The Way of Kings as a film series,” Sanderson noted. “I am confident that would be a bad idea. I think Mistborn could work as a film series, particularly if we made it in some of the ways I would like to make it, that I’m trying to talk to Hollywood about. I think some things would really work there.”

Sanderson regularly shares updates about his projects on his personal site and YouTube channel, so fans can expect more insights into his plans as he steps into the role of media mogul. However, it will still be a while before the first adaptations from the Cosmere make their way to screens, giving newcomers ample time to dive into Sanderson’s books.