Brandon Sanderson’s epicMistbornwould make an amazing fantasy TV or movie, especially when considered alongside the other fantasy offerings out there. The range of inspiring andpowerfulMistborncharactersmade fans desperate for an adaptation, and excited when a movie was declared to be in the works. This was sadly canceled, reportedly due, in part, to creative differences between Brandon Sanderson and the movie’s various creators and stakeholders. But an adaptation would beat many other fantasy TV shows and movies, so it still deserves to be considered.
EveryMistbornbookdemonstrates whySanderson is the king of fantasy in this day and age, much the same as how J.R.R. Tolkien was the founding father of high fantasy and the pinnacle of the genre in his time. Since the cancelation of theMistbornmovie is so recent, an adaptation is unlikely to happen for a long time, if at all. But the originality that Sanderson brings to fantasy is what sets it apart from other fantasy being circulated on streamers and at the cinema.Mistborncould avoid the pitfalls of modern fantasy TV in a few ways.
Brandon Sanderson Is Right About Modern Fantasy Shows, But Mistborn Has An Advantage
Brandon Sanderson Commented On Fantasy Being Lackluster
American author Brandon Sanderson commented that the kind of fantasy productions being made today are lacking, but hisMistbornbooks would give an adaptation an advantage over other fantasy shows. Sanderson confided toPolygonthat “Streaming has had a big problem with epic fantasy.” This is interesting to note, as Sanderson makes a good point in many ways. His insight should be a green flag to studios looking for their next big fantasy production, proving thatMistborncould stand a chance of surpassing most popular fantasyoutings of the last five years.
This 19-Year-Old Mistborn Prophecy Makes More Sense After A Major Cosmere Change
Readers have been theorizing about this Mistborn era 1 prophecy for decades, and one major Cosmere change makes it closer to coming true.
Sanderson cited problems with changes in the industry as likely causes of the problems with recent high fantasy. He mentioned the possibility of there being some kind of holdover from network TV, whereby studios making contemporary fantasy TV shows feel the need to ensure that their productions have an episodic nature and feel. If Sanderson is right, this commitment to episodic TV could be what makes a lot of fantasy quite same, considering that it must rely on recognizable tropes in order for each episode to be appealing in its own right.
How Mistborn’s Settings Set It Apart From Other High Fantasy Offerings
Mistborn Is A Unique Fantasy Series
Mistbornhas quite different settingsto most other popular high fantasy books. BrandonSanderson commented on issues with Amazon Prime Video’s high fantasy, includingThe Wheel of TimeandThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Both of these shows share quite similar worlds, being founded in Tolkien’s original concept of high fantasy. AlthoughThe Wheel of Timeis not based onThe Lord of the Rings, whileThe Rings of Poweris, they both still adopt a medieval-inspired euro-centric world with fairytale creatures of both good and evil.Mistbornisn’t quite the same.
Mistbornswitches genres to a certain extent.
Mistbornis separated into different eras, much likeLotRhas different ages. But whileThe Lord of the Ringsremains in Arda the whole time and sticks to the high fantasy genre, carving it out in the first place,Mistbornswitches genres to a certain extent.Mistborn’sera one is high fantasy with a distinctly dystopian feel, giving it a science fiction atmosphere in places and a darkness perfectly suited to streaming. Meanwhile, era two has a western element, leaning into steampunk culture at times. As such, it’s a big shame thattheMistbornmovie is no longer happening.
Mistborn Could Be Exactly What The Modern Fantasy Landscape Needs
High Fantasy Is In Need Of A Boost
With its diverse locations and storylines,Mistborncould provide the boost that contemporary high fantasy needson screen.TheMistbornmovie’s most likely replacementcould still impress Sanderson and fantasy fans alike, but may not be enough to elevate the whole genre and take it to a new level, as Sanderson seems to want. This book,Tress of the Emerald Sea, would make a great movie but wouldn’t quite capture the diversity ofMistborn. PerhapsMistborn’swide range and newness could start creating truly pioneering and meaningful on-screen fantasy.
Mistborn: The Final Empirewas the first publishedMistbornnovel, released in 2006.
The author commented that “Rings of Power and Wheel of Time have not gone as well as I would’ve hoped,” suggesting thatSanderson believesstreamers haven’t cracked the right formula for high fantasy. Perhaps it is the episodic nature of studios' approach to fantasy that is creating any problems with viewership, but either way, Sanderson aptly pointed out that the formulaic fantasy being peddled is failing to break seriously new ground. As such, the stark originality of hisMistbornnovels could be the answer to streamers' problems, providing something new for fantasy fans to get their teeth into.
AMistbornadaptation could be faithful, original, and contemporary all at the same time.
While it is true that division into episodes and seasons occasionally seemed disruptive to the plots of bothThe Wheel of TimeandThe Rings of Power, both shows notably struggled with faithfulness. This led to a lot of the audience critiques received.The Rings of Power, in particular, had to adapt an archaic tone, world, and story into a contemporary show with appeal to modern audiences. It added some intriguing original material to do this, which sacrificed faithfulness. Meanwhile, aMistbornadaptation could be faithful, original, and contemporary all at the same time.
Mistborn
TheMistbornseries, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a high-fantasy saga set in the world of Scadrial, where magic is powered by metals through a system called Allomancy. The series focuses on political intrigue, heists, and the battle between good and evil. The first trilogy,Mistborn: The Final Empire, follows the struggle to overthrow a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler. Later books in the series, includingEra 2, take place hundreds of years after the events of the original trilogy, expanding the story into new settings with new characters, all while maintaining connections to the original storyline.Books:Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006)Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007)Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008)Mistborn: The Alloy of Law (2011)Mistborn: Shadows of Self (2015)Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning (2016)Mistborn: The Lost Metal (2022)
