Fantasy Author Brandon Sanderson Criticizes Streaming-Era Fantasy Adaptations Like ‘The Witcher,’ ‘Wheel of Time,’ and ‘Rings of Power’
Brandon Sanderson is one of the most successful fantasy writers of all time. Known for his epic storytelling, he has written across genres, including epic fantasy, superhero stories, science fiction, young adult novels, and graphic novels.
He’s even ventured into games, with a deck-building card game and a strategy video game already out, plus an upcoming RPG spinoff. His latest book, Wind and Truth, has been dominating the New York Times bestseller list since its release in December.
Despite this massive success, Sanderson’s works have yet to hit the big or small screen in a meaningful way. While platforms like Netflix and Amazon have eagerly adapted other major fantasy epics, Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive and Mistborn series remain untouched by Hollywood.
With five Stormlight books and seven Mistborn novels already published, many wonder why his stories haven’t been turned into blockbuster shows or films.
Sanderson addressed this in a December 2024 blog post, where he explained the complicated process of film and TV development. He revealed that some of his works have been optioned for adaptation but remain stuck in early stages.
A live-action Mistborn movie was the furthest along but fell apart due to creative disagreements between producers and studios. Sanderson has also turned down many offers to adapt his stories, particularly those set in his Cosmere universe, which connects many of his series.
In a conversation with Polygon, Sanderson shared his thoughts on why he’s cautious. He pointed out problems with recent streaming-era fantasy adaptations, such as The Witcher, The Rings of Power, and Wheel of Time:
Streaming has had a big problem with epic fantasy, and this has me worried. Rings of Power and Wheel of Time have not gone as well as I would’ve hoped. Shadow and Bone lasted only two seasons, after a very strong first season. Streaming hasn’t figured out epic fantasy yet. […] I mean, The Rings of Power essentially had [unlimited budget and creative control], and it’s not very good.
It’s fine, but is it the thing that you want? I mean, I really think the key member is that visionary filmmaker. Epic fantasy has responded poorly to too much oversight from above. I think that was The Witcher’s problem. You had that visionary: It was Henry Cavill. And they didn’t want to listen to him. So, well, there you go.
Source: Polygon
For Sanderson, quality control matters more than rushing to get an adaptation made. It seems he’s waiting for the right opportunity—and the right team—to bring his Cosmere to life. You can read the full interview with Polygon if you follow this link.
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