Brandon Sanderson fans have been eagerly awaiting a screen adaptation of The Stormlight Archive, and now it’s finally happening! Apple TV has secured the rights to Sanderson’s entire Cosmere universe, greenlighting a TV show based on The Stormlight Archive. It’s an ambitious project, considering the sheer size of the series – adapting five books, each over 900 pages long, and linking it to other planned adaptations will be a significant challenge.
As a huge fan, I really think the Apple TV series needs to not just be faithful to the books – it needs to exceed expectations. To become the next massive fantasy hit, it can’t just cater to those of us who already love Brandon Sanderson’s work; it needs to draw in a whole new audience too. I know adapting The Stormlight Archive will be incredibly difficult, but thankfully, there are a lot of successful fantasy shows out there that can offer some good examples of how to do it right.
10) Game of Thrones
Many fantasy shows have tried to replicate the success of Game of Thrones, but few have managed it, proving just how influential that series is. While Game of Thrones stumbled in its final seasons, there’s still a lot to learn from both what it did well and where it went wrong. The upcoming Stormlight Archive show should aim for the same blend of compelling drama and exciting action that made Game of Thrones so popular, appealing to both dedicated fantasy fans and a wider audience. Crucially, it should stick closely to the source material and avoid going beyond the existing books, especially if the show catches up to the planned second half of the story – as Game of Thrones demonstrated, even with the author involved, deviating from the books can be a mistake.
9) House of the Dragon
As Apple plans to adapt Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe, starting with The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn, it should consider how House of the Dragon handled its connection to Game of Thrones. While not perfect, House of the Dragon clearly links back to the original series, making it easy for viewers—even those who haven’t read the books—to understand the connections between characters and events. The upcoming Mistborn movie will need to tie into The Stormlight Archive show, and learning from House of the Dragon’s approach will be crucial for making that connection smoothly.
8) The Wheel of Time
While the cancellation of The Wheel of Time isn’t a shock given how viewers reacted, it’s still disheartening. Brandon Sanderson, the author, shared his disappointment online, and hopefully, future adaptations of his work can learn from this experience. The Stormlight Archive, with its complex story, is a prime example. The Wheel of Time tried to streamline the books, but made changes that upset many fans. This shows The Stormlight Archive should stick closely to the original story. A key difference is that Sanderson is actively involved in the adaptation of The Stormlight Archive, while the creators of The Wheel of Time never sought his input, even though he finished the book series.
7) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The budget for the upcoming Stormlight Archive series is currently unknown, which is a worry because The Way of Kings begins with significant action. Even Game of Thrones didn’t feature large-scale battles until later seasons. However, the first season of The Stormlight Archive will need to quickly establish those action sequences. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms demonstrates how compelling conflicts can be portrayed effectively even with a limited budget. If needed, The Stormlight Archive can take inspiration from the creativity of the Game of Thrones spinoff to create exciting confrontations for its first season.
6) Percy Jackson & the Olympians
The new Percy Jackson & the Olympians series is a great example of how to adapt a book successfully. It captures the spirit of Rick Riordan’s original novels and includes all the important plot points, but also adds new depth to the characters and storylines. This is exactly what The Stormlight Archive adaptation should aim for, as the best adaptations manage to both honor the source material and expand upon it. It’s also a big advantage that Rick Riordan is actively involved in the Percy Jackson series on Disney+. Thankfully, The Stormlight Archive seems to be taking a similar approach.
5) Stranger Things
Although seemingly different, Stranger Things excels at weaving together numerous characters and plotlines in a way that feels complete and rewarding. This is a skill The Stormlight Archive also possesses, and the upcoming TV adaptation could benefit from taking a page from Stranger Things‘ playbook. The Netflix show expertly balances its main, secondary, and supporting stories, and the Stormlight Archive series could learn from this approach when it comes to the screen.
4) One Piece
Similar to how Netflix tackled The Wheel of Time, adapting One Piece presents the challenge of converting a very long story into a TV series. However, One Piece seems to be handling it better, at least based on its first season. The Stormlight Archive can learn from The Wheel of Time’s experience, but also from One Piece’s approach. Techniques like using time skips and knowing what details to leave out could be helpful. Each adaptation will be different, but One Piece proves that a successful live-action version is possible.
3) Arcane
The characters in The Stormlight Archive are richly developed, and many fantasy shows have proven that even flawed characters can be captivating. Arcane excels at this, and the upcoming Apple TV adaptation of Sanderson’s work could learn a lot from its example. Arcane features characters like Cait, who tries to do good but often fails, and Jinx, whose morality is constantly shifting – both are excellent illustrations of complex character work. While Sanderson already creates similarly nuanced characters in his books, the TV series can look to Arcane for guidance on how to effectively portray their strengths and weaknesses on screen, making them feel relatable and believable.
2) Shadow and Bone
Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy novels are known for their intricate magic systems, and his epic series, The Stormlight Archive, is no different. When adapting it for TV, the show could learn from both the Mistborn movie and the Shadow and Bone series. While Shadow and Bone isn’t perfect, it does a good job of explaining Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha magic in a way that’s easy to understand without overwhelming the audience with lengthy explanations. The Stormlight Archive adaptation should aim for that same balance to appeal to both dedicated fans and those new to the series.
1) The Mighty Nein
The new fantasy show, The Mighty Nein, has quickly become a standout of the 2020s, and it has lessons for The Stormlight Archive as it adapts to the screen. While The Stormlight Archive already includes humor, The Mighty Nein excels at seamlessly blending funny moments with more serious ones. Its strength lies in natural, well-integrated character interactions and relationships, offering a helpful model for how to achieve a similar balance on screen.
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2026-02-25 04:11