DMG Entertainment has acquired film and licensing rights to Brandon Sanderson's bestselling Cosmere series of interconnected fantasy novels. Variety reported that the "entertainment and media company has committed to spending $270 million, which will cover half of the money needed to back the first three movies made from Sanderson's canon. That makes it one of the largest literary deals of the year. DMG beat out several interested parties for rights to the series."
An adaptation of Sanderson's The Way of Kings, the first in the Stormlight Archive series, is being fast-tracked by DMG, which "has hired screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the writing team behind several Saw films, to adapt the book." DMG will simultaneously adapt the first book in Sanderson's Mistborn series.
"DMG is all about global entertainment brands built cinematically for the worldwide audience, and Sanderson's library of present and future material provides one of the greatest story and character universes ever created," said company founder and CEO Dan Mintz.
Sanderson commented: "The people at DMG aren't just producers or financiers. They're fans. From the first moment we met, I knew they understood my vision and goals for the Cosmere, and I've been excited to work with them in bringing their vision for the universe to the screen."