Apple Acquires Cosmere Rights: A New Era for Sanderson Adaptations

After years of “almost, but not quite,” Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere is finally back in the adaptation spotlight in a big way: Apple has acquired the screen rights to the Cosmere universe—with early focus reportedly on a Mistborn feature film franchise and a Stormlight Archive TV series.

What’s the breaking news?

According to multiple entertainment reports shared today, Apple is developing:

• Mistborn as feature films (a film franchise is being eyed).
• The Stormlight Archive as a television series, with Blue Marble Pictures attached to produce.

While financial terms and release timelines haven’t been publicly detailed, reporting also suggests this was a competitive situation and that no release schedule is currently confirmed.

Why this is a major shift (and why fans are reacting so hard)

If you’ve followed Sanderson’s adaptation updates, you’ll know Mistborn previously got painfully close—then collapsed.

In State of the Sanderson 2024, Sanderson explained that Mistborn had reached roughly the “studio sign-on” phase and even had recognizable talent attached, but it never secured a production deal and ultimately “died” at that stage—sending the Cosmere back to square one for screen projects. (Brandon Sanderson)

So this Apple move isn’t just “another option” headline—it’s the first time in a while that the Cosmere conversation is pointing toward a single major platform with apparent franchise intent, rather than scattered, stalled attempts.

The key detail readers will care about: Sanderson’s involvement

Several outlets reporting on the deal say Sanderson is expected to be heavily involved creatively—with unusually strong influence for an author in a screen adaptation of this scale (described as notably author-friendly).

That matters because the exact issue that derailed earlier efforts (per Sanderson’s own explanation) was the push-and-pull between studio expectations and the creative direction of the package that had been built. (Brandon Sanderson)

What’s included in “Cosmere rights,” exactly?

Reporting indicates the deal covers the larger Cosmere umbrella, not just Mistborn and Stormlight—meaning other Cosmere properties (like Elantris and Warbreaker) are also inside the universe Apple can potentially pull from later. (Reactor)

But the early priorities being discussed right now are Mistborn (films) and Stormlight (series).

What we don’t know yet (and shouldn’t pretend we do)

Right now, there are no confirmed public details on:

• casting
• directors / showrunners
• episode counts
• release windows
• whether Mistborn will start with The Final Empire as a direct adaptation, or restructure for film

Even sources covering the announcement emphasize that the projects are early in development and timelines aren’t set.

What happens next?

The most realistic expectation: a long development runway. Even in the best-case scenario, big fantasy projects typically spend a while in scripting, packaging, and planning before anything becomes “real” (casting news, production start dates, etc.).

If Apple and Sanderson do intend to build this as a flagship fantasy franchise, the next steps we’ll likely see are:

1. Creative leadership announcements (screenwriter(s), showrunner for Stormlight)
2. Formal greenlight signals (series order / production commitment)
3. Casting and production timelines

Until then, it’s fair to celebrate the momentum—while keeping expectations grounded.