The Mistborn Movie’s Disappointing Fate Confirms A Harsh Reality For Fantasy Adaptations

The Mistborn movie could have been one of the most exciting fantasy projects coming down the pike, but Brandon Sanderson’s disappointing update highlights a harsh reality about such adaptations. In his State of the Sanderson blog post for 2024, the author confirmed that the Mistborn movie is back at “square one“ again. According to Sanderson, there was a script and even talent attached. However, because “the studio didn’t want to do it the way the producers did,” the project failed to land a production deal and enter development.

This happening to the Mistborn movie is disheartening, especially more than a decade after news of an adaptation first surfaced. Of course, Mistborn isn’t the only fantasy project to see an unfortunate outcome after being stuck in development hell. Many movies and TV shows don’t even get a clarifying update after they’re left there, and Sanderson’s Mistborn movie news doesn’t inspire hope that this will change any time soon.

The Mistborn Movie’s Fate Highlights A Harsh Truth About Fantasy Adaptations

Projects In This Genre Are Some Of The Hardest To Bring To Life

The Mistborn movie’s fate may not be surprising after years of waiting, but it does confirm a harsh reality about fantasy adaptations. Even after Game of Thrones’ massive success, studios seem skeptical about moving forward with such projects. If even a series as big and beloved as Mistborn isn’t prioritized, it’s no wonder that so many other fantasy books don’t make it to the screen. Of course, these stories are often difficult to bring to life, requiring hefty budgets and effects. And as Sanderson’s update suggests, there isn’t always agreement on the creative side.

The latter is true of all adaptations, but fantasy ones, in particular, require studios and writers to make hard choices about the source material. Their stories are often too vast and complex to squeeze into a movie’s runtime — and sometimes even that of a TV show — necessitating changes. Making changes is risky, even without the larger budgets required for fantasy projects. This raises questions about whether it will pay off. There’s a reason so many fantasy shows are canceled after one or two seasons, even when they do make it through development and production.

Related

The Mistborn Movie’s Most Obvious Replacement Is A Better Starting Point For A Cosmere Adaptation

The Mistborn movie is scrapped for now, providing Brandon Sanderson the opportunity to begin the Cosmere universe with a different story.

Of course, the number of ongoing fantasy TV shows still offers reason for hope. There have been many more additions to the genre since Game of Thrones ended, so the fantasy landscape isn’t that bleak. But Mistborn‘s disappointing update highlights how difficult getting adaptations off the ground can be, shedding light on why so many of them never happen, even when they’re officially announced.

Mistborn Isn’t The Only Fantasy Project Struggling To Be Adapted

Projects Like ACOTAR, Eragon, & The Poppy War Are Other Examples

The struggles of seeing fantasy adaptations all the way through are evident in the number of movies and TV shows currently in development hell. Some of them, like A Court of Thorns and Roses, are based on books that are just as popular as Mistborn. That’s why these stories are chosen for adaptations in the first place, but a shocking number of them never actually happen. Hulu’s ACOTAR show has faced hurdles, and its status remains unclear. And Sarah J. Maas’ other fantasy series, Throne of Glass, was also supposed to become a TV show, but it never did.

Related

Mistborn Movie’s Disappointing Update Is A Chance To Fix The Biggest Flaw In Its Original Adaptation Plan

The Mistborn movie is back to square one, according to Brandon Sanderson. It’s disappointing, but it could be a blessing in disguise in the long-term.

An Eragon series was also announced for Disney+ back in 2022, but there has been little news about the project since. A similar silence has surrounded the Poppy War TV show announced back in 2020 (via Deadline) and the Earthsea series announced in 2019. It’s possible some of these fantasy projects are facing similar hurdles to the Mistborn movie — though hopefully, they’ll see better outcomes.

Source: State of the Sanderson, Deadline

Mistborn

The Mistborn series, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a high-fantasy saga set in the world of Scadrial, where magic is powered by metals through a system called Allomancy. The series focuses on political intrigue, heists, and the battle between good and evil. The first trilogy, Mistborn: The Final Empire, follows the struggle to overthrow a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler. Later books in the series, including Era 2, take place hundreds of years after the events of the original trilogy, expanding the story into new settings with new characters, all while maintaining connections to the original storyline.

Books:

Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006)
Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007)
Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008)
Mistborn: The Alloy of Law (2011)
Mistborn: Shadows of Self (2015)
Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning (2016)
Mistborn: The Lost Metal (2022)

Created by

Brandon Sanderson

Character(s)

Vin
, Kelsier
, Sazed
, Marsh
, Elend Venture
, Waxillium “Wax” Ladrian
, Wayne
, Steris Harms