Why Brandon Sanderson's Apple TV Series Won't Hurt Us Like 'Game Of Thrones' Did
Whether you read science fiction or fantasy books, or are a reader of any literary genre, chances are you've heard the name Brandon Sanderson. For the longest time now, his books have been hailed as behemoth greats, gaining popularity and large fandom followings that have spread far and wide. Anytime a book series gains popularity like this, it's natural for fans to want to see it come to life on screen as faithful adaptations. However, Sanderson's world is also vastly complex, which means it would've had to happen with a ton of creative control and the assurance that the team behind the adaptation would care about the source material as much as the author and the fans.
The Hollywood Reporter states that Apple TV has made an "unprecedented deal to land the rights to the Cosmere books, the fictional literary universe by fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. The first titles being eyed for adaptation are the Mistborn series, for features, and The Stormlight Archive series, for television." Fans may be concerned for a beat, but this news is a positive detail that guarantees we won't have the same kind of pain we did with Game of Thrones (2011).
Brandon Sanderson Is Heavily Involved In His Apple TV Series
According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Sanderson will be the architect of the universe; will write, produce, and consult; and will have approvals. That's a level of involvement that not even J.K. Rowling or George R.R. Martin enjoys." While Sanderson's The Searchlight Archive isn't complete, his involvement speaks volumes. Often writers will sell the rights with executive producer credits, but they don't always get a strong say in what will make it to the screen or how a new detail will alter the adaptation from the source material.
But the fact that we know he will write as well tells us that the adaptation is not only in good hands, but that the changes will make sense in a manner that will still honor the characters and everything they stand for. Sanderson's work is a lot more complex in terms of the creatures that are featured in his fictional universe, so the fact that he'll have a say in how they are brought to life essentially gives us hope that every CGI work will help move the story forward.
Game of Thrones began going downhill when the adaptation took on wings of its own without added source material, and there it struggled. Because no matter how well a screenwriter or producers know the source material, it's impossible to know as much as the writer who brought them to life in the first place. Even though Sanderson still has stories to write, his involvement in the process can guarantee that the source material and the on-screen adaptation will match in terms of continuity.
Apple TV Is The Perfect Home For Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere Universe
Ultimately, the most hope in Brandon Sanderson's adaptation comes from the fact that Apple TV is the streamer that has all the rights. Netflix is not only known for notoriously canceling sci-fi or fantasy TV shows, but the fifth season of Stranger Things (2016) also proved that the writing is now in favor of people second-screening, and therefore, it's unfortunately gone down in quality. While Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher (2019) was great at one point, it's also gone down in quality with the choppy CGI work. HBO Max is already home to Game of Thrones and the Harry Potter (2001) franchise, so having another huge universe doesn't allow for proper space. But Apple TV is ultimately a unicorn as a streamer.
There might not be hundreds of shows featured, but every series (and even some of the movies) we get are wholly superlative. From award-nominated greats like Severance (2022) and Pluribus (2025) to the near-perfect adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Foundation (2021), Apple TV continues to prove that it's in a league of its own, carefully and meticulously bringing to life series that are not only rich in quality but also exceptional in everything they accomplish from a technical standpoint. We won't have to worry about premature cancellations, but also we won't have to worry about any of the executives taking the cheap and easy route to mass produce, because the streamer's quality control is already evident in all its shows.
Foundation is ultimately the ideal example of the scale in which the streamer adapts narratives for a small screen because every moment feels like a work of art, even if you aren't watching in theaters. At the same time, however, films backed by Apple TV, like Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) or F1 (2025), are given ample time to stay in movie theaters with countless screenings and showtimes. This isn't Netflix, so if you're in a small town, you won't have to go out of your way to watch the Mistborn films when the time comes.
