Brandon Sanderson has been consistent in his praise for one of Netflix’s most popular TV shows, and it’s indicative of howMistbornneeds to be brought to life. Talks about Brandon Sanderson’sMistbornbeing adapted into a feature filmhave followed the title for years, but in the author’sState of Sandersonblog postfrom late 2024, he revealed that there’s, once again, nothing in production. Fans of the author will be waiting a while longer, but that leaves time to reconsider options for how the project might look.
Bringing theCosmere universeto the screen is one of the most exciting prospects fantasy fans could hope for, and Sanderson has been open about the challenges of doing so. One of the joys of being a Brandon Sanderson reader is that the author is fairly transparent about his process. On his podcast, henot only discusses as many details as he can about the methodology of his books and their potential adaptations, but he also talks about other media that he likes. Sometimes, these insights on other media can offer perspective on his own adaptations.
Brandon Sanderson Has Consistently Praised Netflix’s Arcane
The 2 Season Show Is Beloved Among Fantasy Fans
Arcaneis a two-season animated show set in theLeague of Legendsuniverse,developed as a co-production between the animation studio Fortiche and Riot Games. With a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s considered one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, using its animation to create a vibrant spectacle that feels true to the genre. Not only is it beloved by video game players and television fans, but Brandon Sanderson has also frequently praised it, even in an interview withPolygon,which saw him critique fantasy streaming shows.
When he discusses the flaws of contemporary fantasy shows likeThe Wheel of TimeandThe Rings of Power, he states,“There is one excellent [fantasy] show: Arcane.“This is major praise, especially coming from an author who’s long been adamant that film is the optimal way to adapt hisMistbornbooks. Still, he admits in the interview thatArcanewas incredibly costly and would be nearly impossible for a production company that isn’t Riot Games, the studio behindLeague of Legends.
What Exactly Made Arcane Such A Successful Adaptation
Arcane Was A Labor Of Love From Its Source Material’s Studio
Arcanewasn’t just an instance of Riot Games selling the rights to their IP to a studio;it was a labor of love by a studio that cares deeply about the material. The production story behind this show wasn’t the typical Hollywood process. Rather than working with a well-known animation studio,Arcanewas developed by a studio that had worked on Riot Games' promotional videos and music videos before, allowing for familiarity to game fans in the show’s world-building. Beautiful animation aside, this is aLeaguefan’s dream show.
Arcaneis a work of art among two categories of film that are often shunned or overlooked: animation and video game adaptations.
The story was written specifically for game players to be allowed familiarity while also embracing new, character-driven elements that were fresh, unique, and mature.Arcaneis a work of art among two categories of film that are often shunned or overlooked: animation and video game adaptations. Thecombined budget for the two seasons was roughly $250 million, and the first season took six years to developbefore finally hitting streaming in 2021. Riot Games took the hard route, and it paid off.
Brandon Sanderson’s Comments About Adaptation Remind Us Of Arcane
Brandon Sanderson Wants To Get It Done Right, No Matter How Long It Takes
If Brandon Sanderson wanted to make a quick buck off of his IP, he could sell the rights to a studio and have a mediocre version made any day. However, the author once said,“Hollywood doesn’t know what to do with people who don’t need their money”(viaArcanum). Brandon Sanderson has made a fortune off his books and Kickstarter campaigns, so he doesn’t need to give up his stories for a bad TV show. He can follow theArcaneformat, take his time, and develop the exact project that his audiences want.
The Mistborn Adaptation I’ve Always Wanted Is Unlikely Now, But I’m OK With It After Brandon Sanderson’s Fantasy Complaints
The Mistborn adaptation I’ve wanted for years isn’t going to happen, but Brandon Sanderson has highlighted the exact reasons why that’s okay.
Arcanecost $250 million to make for two seasons, which is undoubtedly a lot to invest in a project, but this is the author who’s raised $41 million for a Kickstarter to release four books in the span of a year. If there’s anyone who can transformMistborninto a fantasy TV show, animated or not, that’s unlike anything that exists right now; it’s him. If he waits long enough, he’ll find the right way to get it done.
