Apple TV+ Acquires Cosmere Adaptation Rights

Apple TV+ has secured the rights to adapt Brandon Sanderson's expansive Cosmere universe, marking the fantasy author's first foray into screen projects after a competitive bidding process involving major studios. The deal, described by sources as unprecedented, grants Sanderson extensive creative oversight, including roles as writer, producer, and consultant with final approval rights, a level of involvement exceeding that typically afforded to authors like J.K. Rowling or George R.R. Martin.

The agreement covers Sanderson's interconnected Cosmere books, a fictional multiverse spanning multiple worlds and eras. At its core, the universe revolves around Adonalsium, a mysterious entity shattered into 16 powerful Shards by conspirators who dispersed them across planets, each developing unique systems of magic. Sanderson's works within this framework include the Mistborn series, centered on metal-based magic wielders overthrowing a tyrannical empire on a world covered in ash, and The Stormlight Archive, which unfolds on a storm-ravaged planet featuring magically enhanced knights and ancient threats known as Voidbringers.

Early development plans focus on adapting Mistborn as feature...