Apple TV Will Beat Prime Video With the Cosmere Universe

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Fantasy is a consistently popular genre in both books and movies. It covers a wide range, from dark and realistic stories like Game of Thrones to fun, lighthearted adventures like The Princess Bride, all featuring magical worlds and fantastical creatures that attract a large audience. For a long time, one major streaming service was the go-to place for fantasy content.

The streamer produced popular new fantasy shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time. Though fan opinions differed, these expensive adaptations of well-known novels helped make Prime Video a major destination for fantasy fans. Unfortunately, The Wheel of Time ended after three seasons in 2025, which was a blow to Prime Video’s fantasy programming and created an opportunity for other series to become leaders in the genre.

Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere Will Be Huge for Apple TV

Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson is planning to expand his interconnected Cosmere universe, which includes well-loved series like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive. Sanderson is a leading fantasy writer today, rivaled only by George R.R. Martin, but he’s much more productive, with over 70 books, short stories, and comics to his name. He famously continued Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series after Jordan’s death.

Brandon Sanderson has significantly influenced conversations about fantasy through his writing, teaching, and podcasts. He’s famous for developing the ideas of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ magic systems, which categorize how magic works in different fantasy worlds. Sanderson is also well-known for crafting original and fascinating magic systems within his own stories. A great example is his Mistborn series, where a magic called Allomancy lets people gain abilities by ingesting different metals.

It’s hard to overstate how important these adaptations are. Fantasy films and TV shows take a lot of time and effort to make, especially with all the detailed costumes, makeup, and special effects they often require. However, once these adaptations of Sanderson’s books are finished, Apple TV+ is likely to become the first choice for fantasy fans.

Fans of Brandon Sanderson were especially thrilled by one detail of the announcement. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sanderson will have significant creative control over how his books are adapted for the screen, essentially acting as the guiding force behind the entire project. This means that no changes will be made to the adaptations without his direct approval.

This doesn’t ensure the final result will be excellent, but it’s a positive indication that it will stay true to the original work, just as the author, Brandon Sanderson, would want.

The Streaming Landscape Has Changed For Fantasy Films and Television

Amazon’s position as a leader in fantasy television is fading, with both show cancellations and a lack of new projects. While Prime Video still has some fantasy content – like the upcoming series in post-production with two more seasons planned, and the continuing animated shows The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein – its reign as the go-to streaming service for major fantasy series is coming to an end.

Apple buying the rights to Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe is good news for all fantasy lovers, even if they don’t use Apple TV+ or aren’t interested in seeing these stories adapted for the screen. When streaming services compete, it pushes them to create better shows, and that means more high-quality fantasy content for everyone in the future.

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2026-05-15 19:10