Apple TV Adapts Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere Universe
Apple TV’s Ambitious New Project: Adapting Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere Universe
Apple TV is set to adapt Brandon Sanderson’s acclaimed Cosmere universe, with plans to develop features based on the Mistborn novels and a TV show based on The Stormlight Archive series. This exciting news follows the success of sci-fi series such as For All Mankind and Foundation.
The Cosmere universe, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a vast and intricate world, comprising several planets and spanning various genres, including high fantasy, urban fantasy, and cyberpunk. The basis of this universe is a mysterious entity called Adonalsium, which was killed by a group of conspirators, breaking its power into a dozen elements known as Shards.
Each Shard has an Intent, a purpose or will, such as Honour, Harmony, or Odium. The conspirators, known as Vessels, shared the Shards and set off with them to new worlds, which they formed with the power of the artefacts. The Cosmere universe is home to a wide range of works, including Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker, and The Stormlight Archive.
The Mistborn series, set on the planet Scadrial, is a dystopian world created by the power of two paired Shards of Adonalsium – Preservation and Ruin. The planet is home to the Final Empire, created a thousand years earlier by the divine Lord Ruler. In Scadrial, the dominant force is magic, which can be controlled through three systems based on metals: Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy.
The Stormlight Archive series, set on the planet Roshar, is a high fantasy epic that follows the story of the Knights Radiant, a military organisation of magic. The series has a complex structure, presenting different points of view and containing numerous interludes. Each novel focuses on a different order of the Knights Radiant.
Apple’s adaptation of the Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive series is still in the early stages, with no release dates announced. However, given the extensive source material, it’s likely that the films and series won’t premiere for a few years. Transforming the source material into a script will be a considerable challenge, followed by casting, costume and set design, and postproduction.
With Brandon Sanderson having almost complete creative control over the adaptations, fans can expect a faithful and exciting representation of the Cosmere universe. The author’s books have sold over 50 million copies, and his fantasy convention sells out every year, demonstrating the huge demand for his work.
Apple TV’s adaptation of the Cosmere universe is a significant undertaking, with the potential to compete with other major franchises such as Warner Bros’ Harry Potter, Amazon’s Rings of Power, or Disney’s Star Wars. With its ambitious series and commitment to quality, Apple TV is set to make a name for itself as a major player in the streaming market.
