Hollywood spent years circling Brandon Sanderson without fully committing to adapting his sprawling fantasy worlds. That changed in 2026. Between Apple TV+ securing the rights to the Cosmere universe and Tomorrow Studios landing his sci-fi franchise, Sanderson suddenly became one of the busiest fantasy authors in film and television development.
Unlike many authors who hand off projects to studios, Sanderson remains deeply involved in nearly every adaptation currently in development. He is writing scripts himself, serving as producer and co-showrunner, and maintaining an unusual level of creative control over how these stories reach the screen.
‘Mistborn’ Became the Centerpiece
The biggest adaptation currently in active development is Mistborn: The Final Empire, which Apple TV+ plans to turn into a live-action theatrical film.
Apple secured the film and television rights to Sanderson’s Cosmere universe in January 2026 through a massive deal that reportedly gave the author direct influence over casting, production decisions, and screenplay development. That level of control remains extremely rare for a fantasy author working with a major streaming platform.
Instead of hiring an outside screenwriter, Brandon Sanderson immediately took over scripting duties himself. He confirmed through multiple public updates that writing the ‘Mistborn’ screenplay became his primary focus during the first half of 2026.
By May 20, 2026, Sanderson revealed that the screenplay had reached roughly 80% completion, up from around 50% only weeks earlier. He also noted that much of his recent work involved revising Act 1 and refining the film’s structure before submitting the completed draft to Apple executives later this summer.
That timeline matters because Apple appears to view ‘Mistborn’ as the gateway project for the larger Cosmere franchise. The company reportedly wants the movie to establish Sanderson’s interconnected fantasy universe theatrically before expanding deeper into additional stories and streaming projects.
‘Stormlight Archive’ Needs Television
While ‘Mistborn’ moves forward as a feature film, The Stormlight Archive requires a completely different strategy.
Each installment in the series stretches well beyond 1,000 pages, making a traditional film adaptation almost impossible without massive cuts. Apple and Sanderson instead chose to develop the property as a large-scale television series designed to span multiple seasons.
The timing also lines up naturally for adaptation. Sanderson completed the first major five-book arc in December 2024 with Wind and Truth, giving the production team a clearer long-term roadmap for the series.
Sanderson will not simply serve as a consultant on the project. He confirmed plans to co-showrun the adaptation and directly participate in writing the first season.
Once he completes the ‘Mistborn’ screenplay, Sanderson intends to immediately pivot toward scripting the pilot episode for ‘Stormlight Archive’. He also stated that he plans to write a significant portion of the opening season himself, alongside a future writers’ room that Apple has not officially announced yet.
That level of involvement explains why fans reacted strongly to the Apple deal earlier this year. Many readers spent years worrying that Hollywood would simplify or radically alter Sanderson’s dense mythology, magic systems, and interconnected lore. His direct role in development significantly lowers the chances of that happening.
‘Skyward’ Finally Took Off
Outside the Cosmere universe, Sanderson’s sci-fi franchise Skyward also officially entered active development in May 2026.
Tomorrow Studios acquired the television rights to the Cytoverse franchise only days ago. The production company already carries significant adaptation credibility after helping develop Netflix’s live-action One Piece series.
Unlike the Apple projects, ‘Skyward’ exists entirely outside the Cosmere continuity. That separation allowed Sanderson to pursue a different studio partnership while continuing his Apple work simultaneously.
The adaptation also arrives with experienced television talent attached from the beginning. Sanderson is currently co-writing the pilot alongside Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, the duo best known for running all seven seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
All three writers will also executive produce the project alongside Tomorrow Studios leadership. Sanderson revealed that he spent nearly a decade attempting to adapt ‘Skyward’ before the current deal finally materialized.
The timing shows how aggressively Hollywood currently views Sanderson’s catalog. In less than six months, multiple studios secured rights to several of his biggest properties while placing the author himself directly inside the creative process. For longtime readers, that probably matters more than the announcements themselves.