Apple TV is betting big on the next major fantasy franchise, securing the screen rights to Brandon Sanderson’s expansive Cosmere universe in what sources describe as an unprecedented deal. The deal is rare one, coming after a competitive situation which saw Sanderson meet with most of the studio heads in town. Sanderson will be the architect of the universe; will write, produce and consult; and will have approvals. Sanderson’s literary success and fan following helped pave the way for such a deal. Perhaps most astonishingly, he has been headlining his own fantasy convention that has sold out every year since launching earlier this decade.