More than a year after the first story arc concluded, Brandon Sanderson’s epic fantasy series, The Stormlight Archive, is finally becoming a TV show. Apple TV+ has secured the rights to adapt the entire Cosmere universe, starting with Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive. Adapting Sanderson’s Cosmere will be a massive project no matter where they begin, but The Stormlight Archive presents a particularly large challenge due to the sheer size of the books – each one exceeds 1,000 pages.
Beyond just being a long series, The Stormlight Archive has a grand, complex story with many characters and interwoven plots. Sanderson has created a remarkably detailed world, complete with a fascinating setting and intricate magic systems. Considering the sheer size of the books, a TV series seems like the only way to adapt it successfully. But, I believe there’s one more crucial element needed to really bring it to life on screen.
Animation Is the Only Way to Get The Stormlight Archive TV Show Right
As a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive, I’ve been dreaming about a good adaptation for years. I really think a TV series is the perfect way to go, but it needs to be done right. If Apple TV takes it on, I honestly believe animation is the best path. Sanderson builds such an incredibly detailed and expansive world, and the first book, The Way of Kings, throws you right into massive action sequences. Trying to recreate all that with live-action would be incredibly expensive, and frankly, animation just makes more sense. It would still be a significant investment, of course, but likely far less than a live-action attempt. Plus, the magic systems – Surgebinding and Voidbinding – are so visually unique and powerful, animation would give them the freedom to really shine without the limitations of practical effects.
Brandon Sanderson praised the potential of animation for fantasy, specifically highlighting Arcane as a standout example. While acknowledging its high production cost, he believes the investment is worthwhile, noting its stunning visuals are the kind of quality Apple TV should aim for with The Stormlight Archive. He also pointed out that even less ambitious animated fantasy series, like The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein (the latter being named the best fantasy show of 2025), are currently performing better than live-action fantasy shows, demonstrating the impressive results possible with well-executed animation.
An Animated Stormlight Archive Series Comes With Its Own Challenges
Adapting The Stormlight Archive would be best done with animation to truly capture its scope, but that approach presents difficulties, mainly how it would connect with the broader Cosmere universe. If Apple TV doesn’t commit to making all its shows animated, it’s hard to imagine Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive crossing over naturally if one is live-action and the other animated. Because fans are hoping for these stories to eventually connect, live-action seems like the more likely direction. Hopefully, it can reach the same quality as animated hits like Arcane. While Game of Thrones showed what’s possible, recent live-action fantasy shows haven’t been as impressive, which is a worry.
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2026-01-30 20:11