Fans of Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy masterpieces have been waiting for years for adaptations to happen — and now that Apple TV is bringing the Cosmere to the screen, perhaps there’s hope for other adaptations stuck in development hell, too. After all, that’s where the Mistborn movie was for more than a decade prior to this one. According to the author’s State of the Sanderson in 2024, it had even gone back to “square one” about a year ago. Now it’s closer than ever to becoming a reality, which means things can turn around for Hollywood’s other stagnant adaptations.
Since Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive are likely to shake up the fantasy scene, they could even push these projects in the right direction through their own success. If they prove fruitful, they’ll prompt studios to look for the next big fantasy title, just as they did after Game of Thrones. And with Sanderson’s works being wholly new to the screen, their success could highlight the promise of fresh IPs. There are plenty to choose from, including ones that have been sitting in development for years on end.
Considering the popularity of Sarah J. Maas’ viral romantasy series, an adaptation of A Court of Thorns and Roses is long overdue — but it seems no closer to happening than when Hulu first picked up the rights to the series in 2021. Things were in limbo for years, leading to suspicions that the show would never happen. And it was confirmed that Hulu wouldn’t be moving forward with it in February 2025 (via TVLine). Surprisingly, no other streamer or studio has jumped to pick up the rights. But if Mistborn proves anything, it’s that an adaptation can turn back around quickly, even after returning to the drawing board. And Hollywood should prioritize making that happen for ACOTAR next.
Given the hype surrounding The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear in the late 2000s and early 2010s, The Kingkiller Chronicle seemed like an obvious fantasy series to bring to the screen. Unfortunately, much of the momentum has died down over the years, especially with Patrick Rothfuss’ source material remaining unfinished. Perhaps that’s why any attempts to adapt it have fallen through. Eric Heisserer was attached to a possible TV show, as were Lin-Manuel Miranda and Lionsgate later on. Both plans were scrapped, so it’s starting to look like this could be a 10/10 fantasy series that never gets adapted. Apple TV’s deal highlights that there’s still a demand for epic high fantasy shows and films though, and this is one place streamers and studios could look for a new IP.
Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn series offers a fresh take on Arthurian legend, blending familiar elements of it with dark academia and secret societies. The books tell a gripping tale that doesn’t ignore real-world problems, and it would be incredible to see an adaptation do the same on-screen. Unfortunately, while Black Bear Television picked up the rights to a TV series back in 2022 (via Deadline), it seems to be making little progress. Legendborn may not be as widely known as a series like Mistborn, but it’s one of the biggest and most cinematic YA fantasy titles to emerge in recent years. If Hollywood is looking for new fantasy projects in the wake of Apple TV’s deal, this is a series it shouldn’t overlook.
Mistborn isn’t the only modern fantasy classic waiting on an adaptation. N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy is among the others desperately in need of a movie or TV show. And per Deadline, Sony Pictures made a seven-figure deal to adapt the series back in 2021. Despite the investment, it’s unclear if it’s still happening, marking yet another promising project trapped in development hell. The Fifth Season‘s dystopian world and timely themes lend themselves well to an adaptation. And with so much money spent, it’d be silly to ignore its potential. If Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive spark a race to embrace new fantasy IPs, hopefully this one gets some attention.
It was announced that Starlight Media was developing an adaptation of R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War back in 2020 (via Deadline), but it doesn’t seem to have gone anywhere. It’s yet another promising fantasy project green-lit during that timeframe, then left forgotten. But The Poppy War is an ideal choice for a film or show, with its action, politics, and grim realism making it a true contender in the “next Game of Thrones” conversation. It’s a bit darker than Sanderson’s work, but it would make a compelling adaptation for any studio or streamer hoping to compete. (If Amazon’s Katabasis adaptation happens, it could also prompt Hollywood to give The Poppy War a proper chance.)
Joe Abercrombie’s First Law universe needs to be brought to the screen more generally. And while his trilogy has yet to be picked up, Best Served Cold — one of his standalones set in the same world — could accomplish that. Of course, it needs to move forward first. In 2023, Deadline reported that Skydance would adapt the novel as a film, with Deadpool‘s Tim Miller directing and Rebecca Ferguson in talks to star. Nothing has come of it, which is especially disappointing with that lineup. And like Sanderson’s Cosmere, Abercrombie’s First Law universe comes with great franchise potential. It spans multiple books and series, giving any company that adapts it a lot of material to work with. Hopefully, it’ll get the same treatment as Sanderson’s stories one day.
Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians show has made up for the lackluster film adaptations, and the studio’s Eragon reboot could do the same after Fox’s disastrous 2000s attempt to adapt it Cristopher Paolini’s book. The technology to do the Inheritance Cycle justice wasn’t there in the 2000s, nor was the demand for high fantasy on TV. However, the landscape is much better for an Eragon adaptation now — which is why Disney announcing plans to pursue one (via Deadline) made so much sense. There has been little in the way of news, though Paolini shared on X last February that the series was “still on track.” With House of the Dragon heading into its third season and Amazon’s Fourth Wing show poised to be huge, it would be a great way for Disney+ to get in the dragon game.
Madeline Miller’s Circe is a BookTok favorite, and it’s supposed to be getting a TV adaptation on HBO Max (via Deadline) — but it’s unclear if that’s still happening. If done right, the reimagining of the underexplored figure from Greek mythology would be a hit for the streamer. The anticipation for Christopher Nolan’s take on The Odyssey certainly suggests such projects can thrive. If the performance of that film (and Percy Jackson and the Olympians) doesn’t convince Hollywood it’s time to move on Circe, perhaps successful adaptations of Sanderson’s work will. They may not speak directly to how a story like Circe would fare, but they’ll reignite the fantasy landscape on TV. Well, that’s the hope, anyway.
After Netflix’s controversial cancellation of Shadow and Bone — and the Six of Crows spinoff it nearly spawned — there’s still hope for another Leigh Bardugo series to get a proper run on-screen: the Alex Stern series. Prime Video picked up Ninth House for a TV adaptation back in 2019 (via Deadline), but like many other projects on this list, it’s seemingly been in limbo since. With a new book coming out later this year, it’s the ideal time for Amazon to get moving on this. Yet it might take an extra push to make it happen. The Mistborn and Stormlight Archive projects being successful could serve that purpose.
Amazon is sitting on quite a few upcoming fantasy adaptations, including The Atlas Six. Deadline reported that the studio had picked up the rights to Olivie Blake’s dark academia novel back in 2021. It’s unclear what’s happening with it, but five years later, we’ve yet to see any significant updates. The Atlas Six‘s unique approach to magic, educational setting, and more mature storytelling would be selling points for a TV series, so hopefully, Sanderson’s books shaking up the fantasy space will force studios like Amazon to look at their own offerings and see all the potential there.
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