The Stormlight Archive is one of the biggest fantasy book series of the 21st century, and Brandon Sanderson’s books would make for great screen adaptations. Unfortunately, a Stormlight Archive movie or TV show looks a lot less likely after one disappointing update. Sanderson posted his State of the Sanderson blog post for 2024, updating fans on all the projects he’s working on and planning. He also outlined the status of any adaptations coming down the pike. Unfortunately, the author revealed that the Mistborn movie is back to “square one.”

With the Mistborn movie promising to be one of the most exciting fantasy projects on the horizon, it’s disappointing to learn that it’s not happening. And the disappointment goes beyond not seeing Mistborn‘s great magic system and characters brought to life on-screen. If the Mistborn movie is no longer in the works, it makes it unlikely that The Stormlight Archive will be adapted, too. Sanderson revealed he turned down other adaptation deals because he was “all-in on getting the Mistborn film made.” Beyond that, it doesn’t make sense to adapt Stormlight before Mistborn.

The Stormlight Archive Books Are Harder To Adapt Than Mistborn

They’re More Complex & Require A Bigger Budget

The Mistborn movie’s fate doesn’t bode well for a Stormlight Archive adaptation, as the latter is more difficult to bring to the screen than Sanderson’s earlier series. The Stormlight Archive books are denser and more complex, meaning it’d be difficult to capture everything readers love in a movie’s runtime — and maybe even within the span of a TV show. This was already a huge concern for Mistborn, and it’s a bigger obstacle for The Stormlight Archive. And if there were disagreements over how to adapt Mistborn, there will be more to debate when it comes to Stormlight.

The Stormlight Archive also boasts more magic and more action, which could be difficult to pull off during the early aughts of an adaptation. While Mistborn also faced such challenges, there’s a lot less to cover there. The sheer length of The Stormlight Archive means there’s more action and magic sequences, demanding more effects and a higher budget. These typically are easier to obtain when a show is already a success. But unlike a series like Game of Thrones, which waits before diving into the action, The Stormlight Archive begins with it on page one.

If A Mistborn Movie Isn’t Happening, Stormlight Archive Probably Won’t Either

Mistborn Is A Better Starting Point For The Cosmere

In addition to the fact that The Stormlight Archive is just plain harder to adapt than Mistborn, it doesn’t make sense to bring this series to the screen beforehand. Although the two are separate enтιтies, they’re both connected through Sanderson’s Cosmere. And if Sanderson’s Cosmere books are being adapted, it would be ideal for them to tie into one another eventually, just like the source material. This approach could make the fantasy genre as big as the superhero one among mainstream audiences. But for that to happen, there needs to be a good entry-point to a Cosmere Cinematic Universe.

The Mistborn books make a more accessible entry to the Cosmere, as they’re less complex and earlier additions to Sanderson’s extended universe. This would likely prove true for movie or TV adaptations as well, so Mistborn should lead into The Stormlight Archive on-screen — not the other way around. There are other places Sanderson’s cinematic universe could start, including with an Elantris adaptation. However, The Stormlight Archive should come a bit later. Mistborn returning to the beginning delays any hopes of The Stormlight Archive being adapted.

Is There Still Hope For Mistborn or The Stormlight Archive To Be Adapted

Brandon Sanderson’s Books Could Still Come To The Screen

While Sanderson’s latest update looks bleak for Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive adaptations, fans shouldn’t lose hope completely. Sanderson’s post confirms that he holds “the rights currently for everything except Skyward and SnapsH๏τ,” meaning he can still pursue adaptation deals for any other works. And the fact that the author says he’s “back to square one” offers hope that he’ll try to move past that point again, whether it’s with Mistborn or another one of his Cosmere books.

Given the mᴀssive popularity of properties like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive, studios would be wise to pursue adaptations, even if they pose challenges. They hold a lot of potential to gain popularity, even rising to the heights of projects like The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Fantasy projects are still mᴀssively popular, and any series or author with a huge following warrants consideration for adaptations. Needless to say, we may still see Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive on-screen one day.

Source: State of the Sanderson