Mistborn is one of the most popular series from author Brandon Sanderson, and discussions about when it will make it to the big screen have been rampant in the fan community for years. There have been ebbs and flows to a possible Mistborn film project, such as last year when Sanderson outright confirmed a movie and TV show had been in development for his fantasy series, but ultimately did not move forward. As of December 2024, he was "back to square one" on adaptations for the Cosmere, his shared universe where all of his adult fantasy stories take place.
But it turns out there's another Brandon Sanderson story that may have a much better chance of making it to the big or small screen than Mistborn. And it's not one you'd expect.
An underrated Brandon Sanderson novella is "furthest along" in getting adapted
Brandon Sanderson has so many recognizable books it's hard to keep track. From Mistborn to The Stormlight Archive, Skyward, The Reckoners, Elantris and more, there really is no shortage of material for film studios to choose from for adaptation. Any series set in the Cosmere, like Stormlight and Mistborn, come with the added benefit of a potential cinematic universe down the line, since that's the format Sanderson has applied to his book universe anyway.
However, the vastness of the Cosmere could also be a factor against it as well; if a studio wants to commit to one of Sanderson's biggest series, they have to commit. From the sounds of things, there's a smaller, standalone story that could surpass Mistborn to become the first Sanderson project to make it to the screen: "Snapshot."
Originally published in 2017, "Snapshot" is a novella which follows two investigators who use a technological marvel to enter simulations of days which have already passed, allowing them to search out clues for crimes which have run cold. These Snapshots are exact copies of the days as they happened, right down to the patterns of the people inhabiting the city where the investigators do their work.
While "Snapshot" starts out innocuously enough, the story quickly heats up with Sanderson's trademark pacing and twists, as investigators Davis and Chaz sniff out the trail of a serial killer with an eerie link to the Snapshot system. By the time all's said and done, Sanderson has dropped more than a few bombshells as the story goes in some very surprising directions.
"Snapshot" is one of 10 stories included in Sanderson's latest book release that hit shelves just today, the short fiction collection Tailored Realities. Each of the Tailored Realities stories has a little postscript afterward, where Sanderson reflects on the piece and where it fits into his overall career. It's in the postscript for "Snapshot" that he drops some really interesting information about this relatively lesser-known novella's exciting film prospects.
"'Snapshot' is the little (well, I suppose medium-length) story that just keeps giving," Sanderson writes. "So far, it is the story that has been optioned most often for film and television, and as of this writing it is the project I have furthest along toward actually getting made."
"Snapshot" would be much easier to adapt than the Cosmere
Having read "Snapshot" for the first time in Tailored Realities, I can absolutely see why this story might be appealing to film studios. It of course is a Sanderson book, which means his legions of fans will eagerly go to watch it. But more than that, it's also much more grounded than his epic fantasy fare. It's a cop serial killer story with a few mind-bending sci-fi twists. That sort of story is much simpler to bring to life on film than creating an entire secondary world fantasy world and all the civilizations that go along with it.
Beyond the ease of the thing, I think "Snapshot" also has a lot of potential for the story itself. I won't spoil its big twists, but suffice to say that the very end of this novella made me gasp in shock. It has some great turns, as well as a compelling duo at the heart of the story — who would only be improved on with sharper film dialogue and actors making the roles their own. "Snapshot" isn't necessarily my favorite Sanderson story, or even my favorite in Tailored Realities, but it could be a very solid foot in the door for the author in Hollywood if it gets made, showing studios that there is a large appetite for his particular brand of fantasy and science fiction.
For my part, I'll hope that we get a "Snapshot" movie or show at some point in the not-too-distant future. And who knows? Perhaps it could open doors for Sanderson to get his more ambitious projects made, like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive. Or maybe it could help him find a home for the new screenplay of The Emperor's Soul he started writing late last year. A fan can dream.
Tailored Realities is out now from Tor Books, wherever books are sold. Check out our spoiler-free review here.