Intentionally Blank Two Brandons, Two Movies — Intentionally Blank Ep. 252
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Apr 1, 2026 
Brandon Mull, bestselling author of Fablehaven and creator of middle-grade and YA fantasy, discusses his new Guardians series and the push to adapt Fablehaven for film. They talk about long-developing “masterpiece” ideas, sketch-comedy shaping dialogue, indie filmmaking hustle, crowdfunding for the movie, and translating novels into screen-ready stories.
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Fablehaven Movie Crowdfund As Part Of A Bigger Plan
- Mull explains the Fablehaven movie crowdfunding via Backerkit is part of a larger financing mix and driven by hustling filmmakers who found traditional and alternative backers.
- Angel Studios and a faithful screenplay helped land distribution and encouraged a family-friendly approach that matches Mull's book intent.
Why Family Friendly Needs Intentional Quality
- Mull wanted to write family-friendly stories that are genuinely good, scary, and fun rather than bland 'family' content, and cites Pixar and early Harry Potter as successful models.
- He felt Hollywood risked stripping that family-friendly quality, so Angel Studios' mission to support family storytelling mattered in choosing partners.
Be Useful Not Problematic On Adaptations
- Mull advises authors who join film adaptations to be useful and reasonable: contractual consultation seats are good, but being helpful makes teams want you involved.
- He emphasizes contributing constructively so the 'best idea wins' and the production benefits from the author's involvement.
