Published Feb 1, 2026, 6:01 PM EST
Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer on the New TV team, focusing on writing and content planning for streaming shows. They often assist with Classic TV coverage, as well.
They have covered events, such as Denver Fan Expo. Their articles have also been shared by professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale.
In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.
Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity.
Apple TV’s upcoming fantasy movie series based on bestselling books will be absolutely spectacular because of the author’s involvement.
Brandon Sanderson is widely considered one of the best modern high fantasy authors. His fantasy books are even better than Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Shockingly, none of his books have been adapted for the big or small screens, though Snapshot and Skyward have been optioned for TV shows (via Dragonsteel). That could change soon, though.
On January 28, news broke that Apple TV landed the rights to Brandon Sanderson’s entire Cosmere fantasy book universe. To start out, they’re looking to turn the Mistborn books into a feature film series and The Stormlight Archive into a TV show. While both projects are exciting, one is bound to be phenomenal because of Brandon Sanderson’s passion for it.
The Mistborn Movie Is A Passion Project For Author Brandon Sanderson
Even before news of the Apple TV deal broke, Brandon Sanderson presented the Mistborn movie as a passion project. At the 2025 Celsuis 232 festival in Avilés, Spain, Brandon Sanderson was asked what his dream project is, and he didn’t hesitate to say, “I want a movie. I want a really good Mistborn film” (via Dragonsteel).
Sanderson has been trying to get one made for about a decade, but he’s not willing to compromise his vision. He wasn’t interested in making a Hollywood deal if he couldn’t be deeply involved in the writing process and storytelling.
He said he’d ideally want to write the first script, but he probably couldn’t write the second or third scripts, given his book deadlines. Still, he’d want to be involved and have creative control over the story.
Brandon Sanderson Maintains Creative Control Over Apple TV’s Mistborn Movie
Brandon Sanderson’s passion for the Mistborn movie bodes well for the Apple TV movie. He isn’t willing to accept a blasse adaptation that ruins the story he put his heart and soul into. He dreamed of being able to make this film the way he imagined it.
This was a major reason the previous Mistborn movie fell through. He and his partners didn’t want to go backwards on the script, as they were happy with it and had worked hard. However, the studios would only offer them a development deal, not a production deal.
Now he has that ability to make it his way thanks to Apple TV’s unprecedented deal. He has complete control over the adaptation of his work, which wasn’t even given to George R.R. Martin for the Game of Thrones series or the controversial J.K. Rowling for the Harry Potter movies and upcoming series. Theoretically, he can write, produce, and even have a say in the approval process for other decisions.
Brandon Sanderson Can Involve Fans Of The Book In The Creative Process
While he wants a faithful adaptation, Brandon Sanderson isn’t looking to do everything in the film. He might write the script and help make decisions, but he probably won’t do all the directing, casting, etc. He once said he wanted a true fan who grew up loving his work to serve as the film's director. Sanderson told Polygon:
“Really, what I want — it’s just a little thing, just a little thing — I just want a genius filmmaker on the level of Denis Villeneuve, someone who grew up loving my work [the way Villeneuve loved Frank Herbert’s Dune], and wants to bring it to the screen with the mix of fidelity and adaptation required to make a great epic like Dune. You do have to change things [for a screen adaptation], but this filmmaker would really understand the property, and have an artistic vision that matches the property.”
If Brandon Sanderson has as much control over the Mistborn movie as it seems, he can probably make that dream come true. He is a prolific writer whose work has changed the lives of so many, and there are bound to be fans within the entertainment industry that he can involve both in front of and behind the camera.
English (US) ·