After I’d Lost Hope, This 10/10 Fantasy Series Now Looks Far More Likely to Get a Movie Adaptation

I’d lost hope in ever seeing one 10/10 fantasy series adapted, but it sounds like a movie is now more likely to happen — a promising change of pace from this time last year. Fantasy films can be tremendously hard to get right, especially when there are high expectations set by beloved source material. The best book adaptations within the genre benefit from decent budgets, creatives committed to doing the story justice, and networks and studios willing to invest in such projects. Tragically, it can be difficult to find one of these things, much less all three. That’s why so many 10/10 fantasy series may never be adapted.

And I counted Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn among the near-perfect series unlikely to see the screen. After the author’s 2024 State of the Sanderson blog post revealed that the planned Mistborn film had returned to “square one,” it sounded like an adaptation had a long road ahead of it — if it happened at all. Sanderson had also been vocal about wanting what’s best for his work, telling Polygon that he could “walk away from some of the best deals” if they weren’t right for the story. All of this made the odds of an adaptation seem slim, especially in the near future. However, it sounds as though there’s still hope.

After 2024’s Disappointing Update, the Mistborn Movie Is Making Progress Again

Although hope seemed lost after 2024’s disappointing Mistborn setback, it appears the chances of an adaptation have since increased. Sanderson released his State of the Sanderson update for 2025, and he once again broke down all the news regarding TV shows, movies, and video games based on his books. Surprisingly, he noted that Mistborn is back to being in the early stages of development and scripting. After last time, we know that’s no guarantee it will make it to a studio deal or production. But while the author couldn’t get into specifics, he painted a positive picture of the progress that’s been made:

“As I mentioned, in May I did major pitch sessions with some high-level people in Hollywood, and we received several offers. We’ve had some very promising developments since then, but that’s all I can say at the present.”

At the very least, it sounds like Hollywood isn’t ignoring Mistborn‘s potential. All three books in Sanderson’s original trilogy are action-packed, emotional, and perfect for the screen, so studios would be wise to prioritize them. Given the popularity of his work, an adaptation could even become the next big fantasy franchise. It could also kick off a cinematic universe based on the Cosmere, as Mistborn has ties to The Stormlight Archive and Sanderson’s other connected books. There are multiple series under the Mistborn umbrella as well, so there’s a lot Hollywood can do with it.

Mistborn’s Movie Update Is Great News for Fans – But There’s a Catch

Mistborn‘s lastest movie update is great news for fans, as it sounds like we may get to see Vin’s story play out on the big screen after all — even if it’s more than 20 years after the first book’s release. Unfortunately, there is one catch if the film does continue to move forward at a decent pace. Sanderson noted that he anticipates being creatively involved in any adaptation. As such, he warned that it could hold up his work on Mistborn Era 3, which he’s in the midst of writing:

“Expect that when any Hollywood deal is completed I’ll likely need to pause writing on Ghostbloods for some time to devote my full attention to anticipated film and television projects (as I have every expectation of being very involved in any adaptations of my works going forward).“

In his 2025 State of the Sanderson, the author said he’s still anticipating a 2028 release for the first Mistborn: Ghostbloods book. However, his plan is to finish all three installments before releasing any of them, so it’s possible a film could push that date back. While that would be a bummer, it’d be a worthy trade-off for the adaptation fans have waited years for. It would open the door for Era 3 to potentially see an adaptation one day, too. That would make its release even more exciting, even if it takes longer to get there.

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