Wind And Truth Has Finally Sold Me On 1 Popular Adaptation Strategy For The Stormlight Archive
The Stormlight Archivebook 5, Wind and Truth, has finally sold me on an adaptation method for Brandon Sanderson's opus that many fans have been asking for. For as long as I've been a fan of Sanderson's Cosmere universe, I've considered the ways in which I'd adapt his novels into feature films or television series. Beginning with the original Mistborn trilogy and leading into The Way of Kings, it was easy to imagine these books being developed as blockbuster TV shows, building toward an overarching narrative not unlike the MCU.
However, as each Stormlight Archive book has developed, the world has continuously grown increasingly magical and complex. It wouldn't be impossible to make it work in live-action. I don't believe in the idea of books being "unadaptable." That being said, adapting The Stormlight Archive sufficiently would cost a lot of money, and it might be more than a major Hollywood studio would be willing to throw at a fantasy show after the likes of Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time have underperformed (relative to Game of Thrones, which is what they wanted).
The Stormlight Archive Could Be A Great Animated Series
Imagine The Stormlight Archive In Arcane's Art Style
Between comments on articles I've written and my general perusing of Cosmere videos and forums, I've noticed that a significant portion of the fanbase wants these projects to be created in animation, perhaps in a style akin to Arcane. I've been hesitant about the idea for years, as I'm just personally not as interested in animation. Reaching Wind and Truth's ending has flipped my perspective on it, and I'm now fully intrigued by the idea of an animated Cosmere universe, especially after all the beautiful art that's been made for the RPG game.
The Stormlight Archive, in particular, could make for an unbelievable animated series. Roshar is a vibrant and beautiful world; an animation would allow for immortal Cosmere characters to remain cast by the same actor through decades of development if the universe was a success and continued to grow. With Tress of the Emerald Sea currently being developed as an animated series, according to the annual State of Sandersonblog post, seeing future Cosmere projects actualized in this medium could be a possibility.
Wind And Truth Would Be Challenging To Adapt In Live-Action
Wind And Truth Is One Of Sanderson's Most Outlandish Books Yet
The first four Stormlight Archive novels are action-packed, and the war sequences would, of course, be a significant expense to depict in live-action. The main aspect of Wind and Truth that feels befitting of animation is the Spiritual Realm. Creating a distinctly metaphysical place with constantly evolving properties and obstacles wouldn't be impossible in live-action, but it would likely end up getting oversimplified or dulled down to the point where its narrative impact is damaged.
The time in the Spiritual Realm is a significant portion of Wind and Truth's narrative, and there are multiple layers in this plot thread that make it even more difficult to portray. Again, I'm not saying it would be impossible to do in live-action, but it would be an incredibly complex sequence to play out through a whole season, and it's much cleaner to imagine in animation. Especially with characters like Shallan and the Ghostbloods operating in the same space on a different Spiritual Realm level. It's complicated, but nothing is impossible.
What Brandon Sanderson Has Said About Animated Adaptations
Sanderson Wants His Stories Primarily In Live-Action
Brandon Sanderson's State of Sanderson post mentions an animated series regarding Tress of the Emerald Sea, so it's clear that he's not against the medium. Previous statements from him have mentioned that he's envisioned Mistborn as a feature film and The Stormlight Archive as a TV series, regarding their respective book sizes. As for animation adaptations of those titles, Sanderson is aware that fans want it. In 2020, Brandon Sanderson said the following about having an animated adaptation of The Stormlight Archive, and his words weren't entirely hopeful:
""Do Way of Kings as animated!" While I'm not opposed to the idea (I think a good animated version could be done), if we made an animated version of Stormlight Archive, it would play only to our fans, and to animation fans, perhaps. It would not gain a larger audience. The unfortunate truth is that animation for adults does not gain audience, right now. So we could do a cool one just for the fans, I'm not saying no to that."
My main takeaway here is that Brandon Sanderson is being realistic. He's not personally opposed to animation, but he understands how the movie industry works. Unfortunately, the market for an animated fantasy series is much smaller. Finding success in live-action could result in a massive number of new readers for his books, similar to what happened with A Song of Ice & Fire after Game of Thrones. Arcane has come out since this statement, and while Sanderson has talked about this show, he's stuck to his guns on wanting The Stormlight Archive in live-action.
The Stormlight Archive
- Created by
- Brandon Sanderson
- Character(s)
- Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Adolin Kholin, Jasnah Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Navani Kholin
The Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson, set on the storm-ravaged world of Roshar. The series follows multiple characters, each with their unique storylines, as they navigate political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and powerful magic. Central to the story are the Knights Radiant, legendary warriors with magical abilities who must return to save their world from impending destruction. The series explores themes of honor, leadership, and the burden of power.
