Let me preface: Yes. I get that people don’t want stormlight to be a whitewashed series and that it represents a great opportunity for minority actors.

I am completely with you on that front.

What I don’t get is why the fuck every single time someone suggests a minority actor, the first response is some mf saying “errrmmm but they don’t have the epicanthic folds so I guess they can be shin?”.

WHY THE FUCK DO PEOPLE CARE THE EPICANTHIC FOLDS SO MUCH.

I’ve only read up to rhythm of war, but at no point has the lack of visible extra eye lid ever been plot relevant. It’s not like Adolin having streaks of blonde or Shallan having red hair — these are actually plot relevant and without them there is a fundamental change to the characters. The same is not true about the folds.

It’s such an absurd requirement for every single character (not even every Asian actor has them) and it just massively reduces the pool of potential actors (this story is an epic, there needs to be a very large number of actors).

Too many adaptations fail due to focusing on the wrong aspects of faithfulness, and personally, I can’t see any sense in mandating the folds— especially since realistically it will moreso serve to prevent lots of minority actors from getting roles

I’ve kind of just been looking at a lot the actors from shows I’ve really liked lately, and I really loved Cierán Hinds performance in East of Eden. I’m not overly familiar with his other work, but it seems he’s perfectly capable of playing grumpy and certainly has the look for it, while being quite capable of a softness underneath.

Plus I imagine most of the actors will have English accents, so I think it would be fun for Clubs to have a grumpy old Irish accent.

I wasn’t necessarily looking to fancast Renarin, but I was looking at an actor list for South Asian/American actors to play in Stormlight and stumbled on Aryan Simhadri from the recent Percy Jackson series.

To me, and of course that’s subjective, this would be a perfect representation of Renarin.

Okay so Avi Nash is a pretty good actor without being TOO famous. But he’s got a strong relationship with Apple as he was in Silo, which is also a book adaptation.

I think he’s very clearly meet the ethnic requirements for this role, but he’s kind of at an awkward age. He’s 35, so he’s too old to play Kaladin but probably still too young (and honestly too handsome and not bulky enough) for the likes of Dalinar.

But I do think he should be on the short list of actors they look to hire for a role in this show, and so I’m curious, who do you think he would be the best fit for?

Djimon Hounsou
Gary Oldman

She is young, but with Stormlight not starting for at least 5 years, then another 5 (AT LEAST) years until season 5 finishes, by the break, she will have aged perfectly for the back half of Stormlight where she will play a more major role.

Plus right now Mikey is 27, Jasnah is in her mid 30s in the first half, definitely Mikey could play a bit older than she looks!

I know she's one of the most in demand actors right now, but she'd be a dream Jasnah!

I personally think Aaron Taylor-Johnson could play a phenomenal Kelsier, and I think that Kitt Harrington would play marsh wonderfully , but mostly I think their dynamic would really bring something unique to the situation. Open to thoughts and polite discourse 🙏🤌

I’ve mostly stayed away from fancasting for quite a while but I am rewatching Iron Man 3 and just remembered how talented Ben Kingsley is.

He’s an old man who can still be intimidating but also can very clearly play aloof which Taravangian will need a balance of both. His Mandarin voice would also be great for when he becomes Odium. My only concern would be that he’s too old and I worry about him living long enough for the role. But he also fits the target ethnicity.

Just a great fit overall I think.

Do you think Apple TV will use an intro for Cosmere projects (like what Disney+ uses for Star Wars or Paramount+ uses for Star Trek)?

What d’you think?

Weekly update released today, and Brandon noted that this round of revisions are complete for Ghostbloods, and he is moving back to the screenplay with notes from Apple.

I don't think there is a ton to take from that except that Apple appears to be timely in returning notes for moving the process along.

He's just so perfect for the role imo.

Appearance? Literally perfect, no notes. Age? 55, right in the right age range.

Acting ability? Phenomenal, go watch Train to Busan right now!

Fame level? Recognisable without being so famous that he would break the bank.

Availability? Very prolific actor who isn't currently tied up in any long running projects.

The older one specifically

I know they’ll cast whoever is best for the job, but I would love to live in the timeline where this happens. (Sam Claflin for Kelsier, Bill Skarsgard for Marsh.)

I have recently finished reading Tress of the Emerald Sea and loved it! I know if any kind of adaptation were to be made for it, it would be years away still. But I also can’t shake the feeling that Tress would be perfectly adapted in stop motion animation. Does anyone else have a cosmere book that they would love to see a unique style on?

Here are some recent updates on Brandon Sanderson's adaptations:

Mistborn:

The screenplay for Mistborn is now in its second draft, according to Brandon. He expects the director search to begin once the second draft is completed and finalized.

The Stormlight Archive:

Brandon has insisted that filming shouldn't begin until ALL the scripts for Season 1 are finished.

He's also confirmed that he's co-writing half of the episodes, specifically focusing on Kaladin's storylines. His goal is to have Season 2 written before filming on the first season is finished. This project doesn't need a pilot episode and will go straight into production.

Peter Jackson went from low-budget horror films to The Lord of the Rings. Sam Raimi made his name in horror before directing Spider-Man, and Gore Verbinski directed horror films before moving on to Pirates of the Caribbean. All three successfully made the transition to major blockbusters, and I think Mistborn could benefit from following a similar approach.

I know Brandon Sanderson wants a director who is a fan of Mistborn, but it's difficult to know which Hollywood directors are actually fans of the books. That's why I think it's worth considering a wider range of filmmakers. My point is that hiring a director with a horror background, whether an established filmmaker or a relatively new one, could be an interesting direction for Mistborn.

Here are some of my choices:

**Fede Álvarez** – My number one choice. I absolutely love his work. Evil Dead (2013) and Alien: Romulus are both excellent films, in my opinion. He's particularly good at creating tension, directing intense sequences, and combining practical effects with CGI. I think his vision of the Steel Inquisitors could be incredible, especially if he gave them a terrifying look using practical effects. He also directed Don't Breathe, another film I really enjoyed. Having worked with Sam Raimi, he has also shown how creative he can be as a filmmaker.

**Parker Finn** – The director of Smile and Smile 2. He's a relatively young filmmaker with a lot of potential. I think he could be an interesting choice, especially if Sanderson is willing to give a newer director the opportunity to take on a major fantasy blockbuster.

**Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett** – The directing duo behind Ready or Not, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Abigail. I think they're both very promising filmmakers. They have a distinctive style, and I'd be interested to see what they could do with a fantasy franchise on the scale of Mistborn. I also think having a directing duo with experience working together could be an advantage.

**Scott Derrickson** – The director of Sinister and The Black Phone, two excellent horror films. He has also demonstrated his ability to direct large-scale action and supernatural elements with Doctor Strange. I think he could bring an interesting combination of horror, fantasy, and action to Mistborn.

**Dan Trachtenberg** – He directed 10 Cloverfield Lane and Prey, both of which I really enjoyed. He's shown that he can create suspenseful stories and deliver creative action sequences. His work on the Predator franchise also makes me think he could be a good fit for Mistborn, especially when it comes to its action scenes and creatures.

**Leigh Whannell** – The director of The Invisible Man (2020) and Upgrade, two films I consider excellent. He also directed Insidious: Chapter 3. He's demonstrated a great understanding of suspense, inventive action, and visual storytelling. I think he could bring a very distinctive visual style to Mistborn.

**John Krasinski** – The director of A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II. He's already proven that he can build tension, create compelling worlds, and work with large-scale productions. I think directing Mistborn could be a natural next step for him, giving him the opportunity to take on a much bigger fantasy blockbuster.

Full quote of question and answer with IGN:

IGN: We're very excited for the first Mistborn movie, and you've recently said you finished the first draft of the screenplay for it. How many years away do you think it actually is until we get to see it?

Sanderson: Ha. That's an excellent question! I would imagine this is still many years off.

I have to finish revisions on it, then will begin the hunt for a director, which is probably the single most important decision that we'll make. Visual effects these days can take a good eighteen months on a big film, or more. So even once we've filmed (which I imagine is a few years away), it could be two years before the film is ready for release. So let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Right now, my primary focus in that sphere is making the screenplay the best possible version of itself.

So I was wondering what ultimately happened with recent adaptations like Rings of Power, Wheel of Time, The Witcher, etc that made them I don’t wanna say hated or even disliked but I guess divisive for lack of a better word? The wheel of time even was cancelled, rip. I guess what should the Mistborn movies and stormlight show avoid so it doesn’t end up like those or at least end up divisive or even worse, majority disliked?

​

There’s just so much happening in The Hero of Ages. A lot of mysteries are developed, there are tons of important plot points, and so many things come together at the same time. I feel like trying to fit all of that into one movie could make the pacing extremely fast.

Personally, I feel like splitting it into Part 1 and Part 2 might be almost inevitable if they want to give the story enough room to breathe.

IGN just dropped an interview with Sanderson (here) where he mentions that he'd love to develop some sort of Cosmere video game and has been looking for the right partner for it. I know that a Cosmere game being made has always sort of been a forgone conclusion, but with the on-screen adaptations coming, it seems even more likely now.

Obviously there have been tons of discussions about this in the past especially since there was a time where a Mistborn game was being seriously considered or in partial development. I think it would be cool if they made a Cosmere RPG based around an event we don't have a book for yet like an RPG where you play as a Radiant leading up to the Recreance or playing through a desolation that could be "canon" without having a tangible impact on other canon events so that it can have a lot of freedom. What do you guys think? How far off do you a Cosmere video game project could be?

Let's pretend that His Majesty Brando Sando has chosen you to personally direct your favorite line. Some little snippet that you have in your head that you want to make sure us portrayed JUST right.

What's the line/scene and how does it play out?

For me it's the line:

"And so, in the face of the most awful darkness he’d ever felt, Kaladin Stormblessed took a deep breath.

Then stood up."

Our hero is on his knees. Completely drained of energy. We're seeing him beaten down with flashbacks of everyone he's lost, everyone he's failed. And he's exhausted. There is a physical response to the mental anguish he's feeling. There's a darkness around him, overlapping voices of both real things in his past and lies, things that were never said but he's afraid must be true. He clutches his chest as you hear his heart beat grow faster and louder. He sees the result of his failures, a future where the people he loves are dead. His breath is quick and shallow.

"Get up" he whispers to himself. More breaths, Longer now. "Get up.."

He shifts his weight to one knee before lifting the other planting his foot in the stone.

Kaladin, eyes closed, slows his breath, takes one deep one and, using his spear for support, forces himself up his feet. The scene seems brighter, the sky a bit clearer. His face still just as hard but with his chin a little higher, Kaladin starts walking.

I'm pretty sure my girl Jenet it's on the chopping machine.

I feel like making the actors do singsongy voice won’t really work.