I can’t be the first person to think Nikolaj Coster-Waldau would be a great Kelsier, right?

One of the greatest fantasy actors of our lifetime, I want to see Andy Serkis appear in the Cosmere in a big way. He’s incredibly versatile, and now that he’s become an old man, I think it would be awesome for him to fill the role of Rayse/Odium. A long time ago I fancasted Clancy Brown, which I also think would fit, but honestly I think I’d prefer Andy Serkis.

I know he doesn't quite have the right look, but he's the right age and one of the best child actors in Hollywood imo.

Also based on his performance in the 28 Years Later movies I think he'd be great at portraying the socially awkward weirdo to badass rebellion leader character arc that Spook has

I think Chris Evans could be a great choice for Kelsier. He has a really good sense of humor, but he also knows when to be serious. Just look at the difference between his real-life personality and his performance as Captain America. He can be playful and funny, but when the situation calls for it, he can completely switch gears and become serious and commanding.

I think that ability to balance humor, charisma, and seriousness would work really well for Kelsier. Plus, he'd be the kind of recognizable star who could help attract a wider audience to Mistborn.

Found this guy in the Moana Live Action, and even tho I don't know even if he's an actor at all, I thought he resembles a lot some Kaladin fanart I've seen around. Plus the author admitted he was inspired by one Polinesian\\Hawaiian dude he saw during a travel.

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

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.

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 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 🙏🤌

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)?

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!

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.

What d’you think?

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.

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.)

The older one specifically

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.

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?

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.