Brandon Sanderson confirmed the status of the upcoming Mistborn film produced by Apple TV.
To keep his passionate fanbase in the loop about his many projects, Sanderson posts a weekly update to his personal YouTube channel. The channel boasts nearly a million subscribers, which is no surprise given the range of the author’s work and the length of his career.
Mistborn is a fantasy series written by Sanderson set in his expansive Cosmere universe. Apple TV bought the rights to adapt the novels from the shared universe back in January 2026. There was reportedly a bidding war between major studios for the rights to the universe, with Apple TV emerging as the victor.
“Ding! About 13%,” Sanderson revealed before going on to elaborate that he’s still in talks with the studio. They’re still in early production and discussing what they would want to include in the unfinished first script so they could ensure that both fans and newcomers could enjoy the final product. “They haven’t read it yet, ’cause it’s not done,” he explained.
There’s a lot of framework for adapting fantasy franchises like Mistborn for the big screen. Sanderson has a good idea of what works (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) and what franchises struggled with audiences (Wheel of Time). As a result of his expertise, Apple TV has a lot of faith in its upcoming adaptations of the world of Cosmere.
The company clearly has faith in Sanderson steering the ship as well. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s been given more creative freedom with the process than even the likes of George R. R. Martin. In comparison, Sanderson and his books have their own convention in Salt Lake City, UT, and they regularly sell out.
Mistborn, or the first trilogy (which contains The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages), is a series of heist stories set in the world of Scadrial. Fans have much to speculate regarding the direction Apple TV and Sanderson will be taking with these stories, and his other work, such as The Stormlight Archive, which is slated for a television release.
Something notable about Sanderson’s works is that they lack profanity. Sanderson explained that this is because he’s a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. This added element could allow Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive to cater to an all-ages demographic upon release.
What’s next for Mistborn?
Eager fans can keep updated on the series’ status by following Sanderson’s YouTube channel or personal website. The projected period for script completion is Summer 2026, with production going forward from there.