Best-selling fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has given fans a significant update on the Apple TV Mistborn film adaptation, announcing that the script is about 72% complete and he hopes to have a first draft finished by July 2026. This is part of Apple’s “unprecedented” deal to acquire rights to Sanderson’s entire Cosmere universe.
The Apple Deal: Sanderson Retains “Unprecedented” Creative Control
In January 2026, Apple TV locked down a sweeping deal for Sanderson’s 25-book Cosmere universe following a competitive auction among several major studios.
The agreement covers film rights for his Mistborn series and TV rights for his The Stormlight Archive series. Sanderson is slated to write, produce, and have final approval over both projects, “a level of involvement that not even J.K. Rowling or George R.R. Martin enjoys.”
Sanderson cited his belief that Apple “really get what I want to do” and their desire to be “a true partner” as his primary reasons for choosing them. He lauded Apple’s focused, creator-centric approach, noting, “Apple does fewer things, but with higher quality, than some other studios. I find virtually everything of theirs I watch is excellent.”
Mistborn Movie: Script Follows “James Gunn Model”
Sanderson is writing the screenplay for the Mistborn movie himself, drawing inspiration from director James Gunn’s methodology. “The James Gunn model is: fantastic script, no reshoots,” Sanderson explained on his Intentionally Blank podcast. “Because he’s a writer-director, he can be like, ‘Here’s our script.’ Everyone gets on board with it. They make that movie.”
As of May 2026, the script had reached 72% completion, a notable increase from the 13% completion reported in February. Sanderson is receiving “good feedback from Apple about what they’re expecting,” and the studio is “feeling really good about how this is going.” The next immediate step is to hire a producer, with that announcement expected in March 2026.
What’s Next: Stormlight Archive TV Pilot After Mistborn
Once the Mistborn screenplay is completed, Sanderson will immediately turn his attention to The Stormlight Archive television pilot. “Once I finish the Mistborn screenplay, my next project will be getting a pilot for Stormlight and then trying to get the whole season worked through,” he stated.
He confirmed that he won’t be writing the entire series himself: “I am going to have some writing partners. But I’m going to write a big, decent chunk of it myself, because I would like to.” Blue Marble has already been attached to produce the Stormlight Archive TV series.
Why Now: Apple TV Changed Sanderson’s Mind on Streaming
Sanderson had previously expressed reservations about streaming adaptations, stating in 2024, “Streaming has had a big problem with epic fantasy… Streaming hasn’t figured out epic fantasy yet.” However, he was swayed by Apple TV’s strong track record with sci-fi and fantasy and their commitment to quality.
He believes that Mistborn lends itself well to film series, while “The Way of Kings would be a bad idea” as movies and would fare better on the small screen.
What Is Mistborn?
Mistborn is an epic fantasy series set in a world perpetually shrouded in ash and mist, which has been dominated by the immortal Lord Ruler since the world’s savior failed in their attempt to liberate it. The story centers on a resistance group led by the street thief Vin as she attempts to carry out a daring and world-changing heist. The first novel in the series, The Final Empire, was released in 2006.