Brandon Sanderson thinks J.K. Rowling “should not have been allowed to write screenplays”

Brandon Sanderson thinks J.K. Rowling "should not have been allowed to write screenplays"

As a dedicated fan and avid reader of Brandon Sanderson’s works, I must say that his journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. His meteoric rise to fame, starting from Elantris in 2005 and culminating in The Stormlight Archive, is truly inspiring. He’s a modern-day Jules Verne or H.G. Wells, weaving an intricate web of stories within the vast Cosmere universe.

Over the weekend, renowned author Brandon Sanderson released “Wind and Truth”, which marks the fifth installment in the epic fantasy series “The Stormlight Archive”. The world depicted is plagued by treacherous storms. Brandon Sanderson’s popularity has been steadily growing; he has sold a staggering 34 million books throughout his career, with sales truly taking off after the publication of “Elantris” in 2005 and further boosted by “Mistborn”. Notably, Harriet McDougal recognized Sanderson’s talent following these works, and he was chosen to complete the “The Wheel of Time” series, originally penned by Robert Jordan, after the latter’s passing.

Subsequently emerged “The Stormlight Archive,” an epic saga authored by Sanderson reminiscent of the grandeur of “Wheel of Time.” It has garnered immense popularity, partially due to its intricate connections with other works by Sanderson; his stories predominantly unfold within a vast, interconnected cosmos known as the Cosmere, allowing astute readers to uncover these hidden relationships.

In his reflection on his success, Sanderson noted that the Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 and the Cosmere series started in 2005. He suggested that the internet’s emergence, making it simple to revisit summaries and refresh our memories about earlier events, has sparked a growing interest in stories becoming more interconnected. This development made intricate plotlines feasible for serialized works on a large scale, something not widely achievable before.

Beyond this, Sanderson has been a trailblazer within the publishing world, setting new records for fundraising through Kickstarter for his books. This creative approach came about following a 2010 disagreement over eBook pricing that led Amazon to remove books published by Macmillan, his publisher, from their platform. In response, Sanderson stated, “That’s when I realized, man, I work for Amazon. I don’t work for the fans anymore, I don’t work for the publisher.” Seeking independence, Sanderson established Dragonsteel, a small publishing house of his own. He organizes conventions, sells merchandise, and generates excitement for his books without needing intermediaries.

Brandon Sanderson thinks J.K. Rowling "should not have been allowed to write screenplays"

You could ponder over the question: Why hasn’t anyone produced a film or TV series from Sanderson’s works, given his accomplishments? It turns out that efforts have been made in the past, but none of them have succeeded thus far. As Sanderson himself put it, “Hollywood is quite peculiar.

In principle, Sanderson could potentially expedite the transformation process by taking a break from his extensive body of work and venturing into self-promotion, perhaps offering to write a screenplay. However, he harbors doubts about authors delving into screenwriting. He cited J.K. Rowling, who wrote the scripts for the “Fantastic Beasts” prequel films, as an example. “She should not have been permitted to write screenplays,” he stated. “Just because you’re proficient in one area of writing doesn’t automatically mean you’re skilled in others.

It’s clear that the Fantastic Beasts films didn’t meet J.K. Rowling and the studio’s expectations. Three movies were produced, but each one earned significantly less than the previous one, despite the fact that production costs stayed high throughout. At first, there were plans for five Fantastic Beasts movies, but as of now, the series seems to be on hold. Instead, it appears that Warner Bros. Discovery is focusing on a Harry Potter TV show, with Francesca Gardiner serving as the showrunner.

It’s inevitable that one day, someone will strive to transform “The Stormlight Archive” or “Mistborn”, or something similar, into a movie or TV series. For now, Sanderson is content writing fantasy novels. He suggests if you haven’t picked it up yet, you should give it a chance. You’ll find all the elements you love from other genres, and dragons too! Why would you read anything else?

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2024-12-10 00:41

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