June 5 2022

Make it a Movie: Mistborn The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

In our Make it a Movie section we play the role of movie producers and map out the movie production. Currently Mistborn: The Final Empire sits as both Dylan and Keith’s #2 & #5 books, respectively. Mistborn is an epic world building fantasy novel with great characters and story, yet it has surprisingly not been made into a movie or TV show.

Production Notes:

On January 27, 2017, Deadline Hollywood reported that DMG signed F. Scott Frazier as the screenwriter for an adaptation of Mistborn: The Final Empire. Brandon Sanderson has also spoken about the adaptation posted here. Doesn’t look the movie is coming anytime soon, but we’ll help the production companies with their casting.

Based on: Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Thriller

Logline: An Oceans 11 crew enters a Star Wars world

Set in a far off world, all are governed under The Final Empire, which is led by an immortal tyrant, known simply as the “Lord Ruler”. The vast majority of the population is enslaved and known as Skaa, with the ruling class, the nobility, controlling them with the support of the Lord Ruler and the powers (allomancy) they possess.

Kelsier, a Skaa born who possess powers himself, gets the ol’ thieving crew back together, for their biggest job yet: to take down the Final Empire. With help from a young prodigy, Vin, they attempt to accomplish an impossible feat. It’s a story about deception, revenge, powers, and overthrowing a corrupt society.

Main Characters/Casting:

Kelsier– Beaten down and betrayed, you would think Kelsier is full of piss and vinegar, however, he actually has a quite sunny disposition. Similar to that of Kolya from City of Thieves, Kelsier is cocky, confident and always the man with the plan. This disposition does not stop him from enthusiastically killing off any noble men he comes across or make him any less lethal. For this role we need someone that can both bring some levity to the role as well as be a serious leader and inspiration to the Skaa movement. We went with Daniel Kaluuya who is only 33 (which will be good in capturing Kelsier’s younger side), yet has shown he can pull off the leading man/galvanizing figure.

Vin – Vin is 17-year old beaten down Skaa street urchin who unknowingly has powers of her own. At first a timid and weak character, she learns to use her powers, trust those around her and transform in more ways than one. She also takes on the role of spy, assuming the role of Valette Renoux a noble woman. Her character is basically a mix between Aladdin and Eleven from Stranger Things.

Which is why we’ll stick with another British actor and go with Millie Bobby Brown, this role would be right up her alley and allow her to show off her considerable range.

Sazed – One of the best characters in the book, a loyal Terrisman Keeper, armed with the ability to store powers of his own. He is part guardian, part scholar, and helps save Kelsier and Vin on numerous occasions, while getting very little praise for doing so. Needs to be an actor who can pull off the role of being both wise and a physical specimen when called upon. Djimon Hounsou fits the bill here, as he seems to play this role in numerous movies.

Lord Ruler – An indestructible, incredibly powerful god of a man, the Lord Ruler seems to have no weakness. He doesn’t show up to often in the book, but when he does his presence is chilling. We’ll go with Thanos himself, Josh Brolin, easy peazy lemon squeezy.