For years, fans of Brandon Sanderson’s epic fantasy novels have hoped to see them adapted for the screen. With Apple TV finally bringing his Cosmere universe to life, there’s renewed optimism for other stalled projects. The Mistborn movie, for example, spent over a decade in development—and was even completely restarted about a year ago, as Sanderson revealed in his 2024 update. Now, with Mistborn finally moving forward, it suggests that other long-delayed adaptations in Hollywood might also get a chance.
With the potential to become major hits, Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive could revitalize the fantasy genre and encourage studios to invest in similar projects. Just like Game of Thrones did, their success could spark a search for the next big fantasy series. Because these stories haven’t been adapted before, they could demonstrate the value of original content, opening doors for many projects – including those that have been in development for a long time.
10) A Court of Thorns & Roses
Given how incredibly popular Sarah J. Maas’ fantasy romance novels are, a TV or movie adaptation of A Court of Thorns and Roses feels long overdue. However, despite Hulu acquiring the rights in 2021, it doesn’t seem any closer to becoming a reality. For years, the project stalled, leading many to believe it would never happen – and that was confirmed in February 2025 when Hulu decided not to move forward (according to TVLine). It’s surprising that no other streaming service or studio has stepped in to take on the project. But the quick turnaround of the Mistborn adaptation shows that things can change rapidly, even after a project is put on hold. Hollywood should make an ACOTAR adaptation a priority next.
9) The Kingkiller Chronicle
With all the excitement around The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear in the late 2000s and early 2010s, The Kingkiller Chronicle seemed like a natural choice for a TV or movie adaptation. However, interest has waned over time, largely because author Patrick Rothfuss hasn’t finished the book series. This likely explains why several attempts to adapt it have failed. While Eric Heisserer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Lionsgate all explored bringing the story to the screen, those plans were ultimately cancelled. It’s beginning to look like this highly-rated fantasy series might never be adapted. Despite this, Apple TV’s recent deal shows there’s still a strong audience for epic fantasy, making The Kingkiller Chronicle a potential project for streamers and studios to consider.
8) Legendborn
Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn series reimagines the classic Arthurian stories, mixing them with the atmosphere of dark academia and the intrigue of secret societies. The books are a compelling story that tackles real-world issues, and an on-screen adaptation could be just as impactful. While Black Bear Television acquired the rights for a TV series in 2022 (according to Deadline), development appears to have stalled. Though perhaps not as famous as Mistborn, Legendborn is a major and visually stunning young adult fantasy series that has quickly become popular. With Apple TV seeking new fantasy projects, this is a series Hollywood should seriously consider.
7) The Broken Earth
The popular fantasy series Mistborn isn’t the only acclaimed book waiting to be made into a film or TV show. N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy is also highly anticipated. Sony Pictures actually spent a significant amount of money—over a million dollars—to adapt the series back in 2021, but it’s currently uncertain if the project is still moving forward, leaving it stuck in the difficult development process. The dark, thought-provoking world of The Fifth Season would translate well to the screen, and with so much money already invested, it seems wasteful to abandon it. Hopefully, the success of adaptations like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive will encourage renewed interest in this promising series.
6) The Poppy War
Back in 2020, Starlight Media announced plans to adapt R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War (according to Deadline), but the project seems to have stalled. It’s one of many exciting fantasy adaptations announced around that time that never came to fruition. However, The Poppy War would be a great choice for a film or series. Its blend of action, political intrigue, and realistic darkness positions it as a potential successor to Game of Thrones. While it’s a bit more intense than Brandon Sanderson’s novels, it offers a compelling story for any studio or streaming service looking to break into the fantasy genre. If Amazon’s Katabasis adaptation moves forward, it might also encourage Hollywood to seriously consider The Poppy War.
5) Best Served Cold
Joe Abercrombie’s epic fantasy world, known as the First Law universe, is ripe for a television or film adaptation. While his original trilogy hasn’t been picked up yet, his standalone novel Best Served Cold could be a great starting point. There was promising news in 2023: Deadline reported that Skydance was planning a film version with Deadpool‘s Tim Miller directing and Rebecca Ferguson potentially starring. Unfortunately, the project stalled, which is particularly frustrating given the talented team involved. Like Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere series, Abercrombie’s First Law has the potential to become a major franchise, with numerous books and stories offering plenty of content for adaptation. Hopefully, it will eventually receive the same attention and development as Sanderson’s work.
4) Eragon
Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series has been a successful improvement over the previous movies, and the studio might be able to do the same with a reboot of Eragon. The original 2000s film adaptation of Christopher Paolini’s book wasn’t well-received, partly because the technology and audience interest in high fantasy TV weren’t there yet. Now, with shows like House of the Dragon and the upcoming Fourth Wing proving popular, the timing is right for a new Eragon adaptation. Disney announced plans to pursue it last year (according to Deadline), and Paolini confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the project is still moving forward. A successful Eragon series could be a great addition to Disney+’s lineup, especially with the current popularity of dragon-themed fantasy shows.
3) Circe
Madeline Miller’s novel Circe is popular on BookTok, and HBO Max announced plans to adapt it for television, though it’s currently uncertain if that project is still moving forward. A well-made adaptation could be very successful, and the upcoming film version of The Odyssey shows there’s definitely an audience for these kinds of stories. If Hollywood doesn’t greenlight a Circe adaptation after that, perhaps the success of Brandon Sanderson’s books being adapted for TV will change their minds. While these adaptations aren’t directly comparable, they should help boost interest in fantasy on television – that’s what many are hoping for, at least.
2) Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Following the cancellation of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone – and the planned Six of Crows spin-off – fans are hoping Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House will get its chance on screen. Prime Video ordered a TV adaptation back in 2019, but the project has been stalled ever since. With a new book on the way this year, now would be a great time for Amazon to move forward. However, it might need an extra boost – and the success of other fantasy adaptations like Mistborn and Stormlight Archive could provide just that.
1) The Atlas Six
Amazon has several fantasy adaptations in the works, including a series based on Olivie Blake’s novel, The Atlas Six. They acquired the rights back in 2021, as reported by Deadline, but there haven’t been many updates since. The novel’s interesting take on magic, its school setting, and its more adult themes could make for a compelling TV show. Hopefully, the success of Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy works will encourage Amazon and other studios to revisit their projects and recognize the potential of The Atlas Six.
What fantasy book or comic adaptations are you hoping get made? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-02-03 01:44