Beloved fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has scored an amazing new deal with Apple TV, with adaptations of his epic Cosmere universe on their way. Here’s what makes this new deal so exciting for fans of fantasy.
Brandon Sanderson Has Historic Creative Control of His New Cosmere Adaptations
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sanderson has signed a new deal, handing Apple TV the rights to adapt his iconic Cosmere books, with the Mistborn and Stormlight Archive series apparently first out the gate.
However, we’ve seen massive fantasy deals before for franchises like Game of Thrones. What makes this deal so historic is the immense amount of creative control Sanderson has managed to attain as part of the deal. The Hollywood Reporter states:
[The deal] gives the author rarefied control over the screen translations, according to sources. Sanderson will be the architect of the universe; will write, produce and consult; and will have approvals. That’s a level of involvement that not even J.K. Rowling or George R.R. Martin enjoys.
Creative control is often treated as the Holy Grail for authors whose works are adapted for film and TV, since it stops their stories being changed by other creative voices. It’s also generally heralded as a positive by fans, who want to know that the core of what they love about the books will be maintained.
Rowling in particular is known for maintaining historic creative control of her Harry Potter books, so for Sanderson to surpass even that is extraordinary. The fact that Sanderson writes fantasy makes this even more impressive, given that fantasy productions often require extensive budgets which streaming services are anxious to keep under control, often by reshaping stories to cut out costly elements.
How Brandon Sanderson Struck Such a Powerful Deal with Apple
Ultimately, Sanderson acquired such amazing creative control because he holds all the cards. Sanderson has sold more than fifty-million copies of his books and has a gigantic, engaged fanbase, raising historic amounts in crowdfunding. He’s also held off streaming in the past, citing his belief that streaming services hadn’t yet figured out how to handle epic fantasy.
Meanwhile, Apple TV – while popular – isn’t in the same weight class as rivals like Netflix, and is seemingly looking for the type of Game of Thrones success that will not just make money, but draw viewers to the platform en masse.
Sanderson has a huge audience, a massive body of work and he’s clearly not desperate to rush into a TV deal. Meanwhile, Apple TV could conceivably use Cosmere to climb the charts and redefine itself as a major force in the streaming market – a feat which would have immense, lasting value beyond any one successful show or movie.
All the ingredients were there to make an incredible deal, and Sanderson has likely chosen the streamer willing to bend furthest in matters other than money. As a result, Apple TV will soon begin announcing new projects based on Brandon Sanderson‘s writing, with the author retaining historic creative control that even juggernauts like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter can’t match.
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