Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward: A Top Gun & The Expanse Mashup

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Launching a new TV show is challenging. Viewers almost always compare it to existing shows, and these days, truly original content feels rare. We’re much more likely to see familiar ideas rehashed than something genuinely new and different that breaks away from common trends.

Even with comparisons to other shows, some TV series still succeed, particularly when they’re based on existing stories that audiences already love. This seems to be true for the upcoming show Skyward. If the current positive reactions are any indication, it has the potential to be very popular, though its actual quality will ultimately determine its success.

Skyward Is a New Sci-Fi Concept From Brandon Sanderson

I’m a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson! He’s an amazing author, especially when it comes to young adult, sci-fi, and fantasy. Everyone knows his epic Wheel of Time series, and I really enjoyed his graphic novels like White Sand and Dark One. But I’m also completely hooked on the Skyward books – Skyward, Starsight, Cytonic, and Defiant are all fantastic. The series has built a really dedicated fanbase, and the latest book just keeps the story going strong – it’s clear Sanderson loves building and exploring this universe!

It felt inevitable that someone would eventually turn the novel Skyward into a movie or show. The story has a lot of potential! It centers around Spensa, a young woman living on a planet constantly facing alien invasions. She longs to become a pilot, following in her father’s footsteps, but he was labeled a traitor, making her dream seem impossible. However, Spensa stumbles upon a surprising discovery that could finally give her a chance to fly.

The story continues to focus on Spensa as the challenges become increasingly significant. The series has strong potential to become a major film franchise, and Tomorrow Studios, the company behind Netflix’s live-action One Piece, clearly agrees. They’ve partnered with Sanderson to develop a new TV show, and the author will continue to be heavily involved with the project at Amazon.

Fans of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be happy to hear that the show’s creators, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, are developing a pilot for Skyward. Currently, they’re deciding which streaming service will air the series, but Netflix is a strong possibility. They’re aiming for a high-quality show and want to find the best platform to showcase it.

Skyward Will Utilize The Expanse’s Genre Exploration

It’s common for new shows to be compared to existing ones, and this one is no different. The novel it’s based on also shows influences from many other works. One clear comparison is to James S.A. Corey’s The Expanse. Like that series of novels, which also became a TV show, this one is a classic, large-scale science fiction story.

While The Expanse tackles serious themes with a realistic and often harsh tone, Skyward is a more lighthearted space adventure geared towards younger readers. Despite these differences, both stories explore the core question of human survival and what people are willing to do to build a better future.

Both The Expanse and Skyward explore a similar premise: humanity is fractured and struggling for survival. In The Expanse, people are spread across the solar system, on the verge of war after the fall of traditional civilization. Skyward presents a similar situation, with humanity confined to a single planet and surrounded by hostile aliens. Both stories highlight how this fragmentation threatens humanity’s existence and the need to unite against overwhelming odds.

Both novels, and the series they belong to, heavily feature enigmatic aliens who possess immense power. The stories share a similar high-science fiction setting, exploring themes of ancient legacies and powerful beings that disrupt the established order. Importantly, these aliens aren’t simple villains; their motivations and portrayals are far more complex.

In Skyward, humanity is a small piece of a much larger, intricate universe, overshadowed by powerful alien civilizations. Magic is a constant, underlying force throughout the story.

Brandon Sanderson’s Show Can Capitalize on Top Gun: Maverick’s Action Style

Fans can either wait for the upcoming show or enjoy the existing book series. But there’s more to the story than that. In The Expanse, space battles are frequent, and the way these fights are depicted – with a unique style and pacing – feels inspired by WWII aerial combat, much like Star Wars. This is another interesting point of comparison.

There are similarities between Skyward and Top Gun: Maverick. Both stories focus on pilots, their abilities, and the potential of a central character – in Skyward’s case, Spensa. The book features exciting action sequences, but also delves into the technical details of how these pilots fly and operate.

Because Spensa often acts independently, the story’s themes flow together really well. It’s almost like Skyward could be a continuation of Top Gun: Maverick, with thrilling aerial combat at the heart of the main character’s struggles.

Both Top Gun: Maverick and the novel Skyward succeed because they focus on the realistic details of flight and how things actually work. This attention to practical physics makes the technical aspects surprisingly engaging for viewers and readers alike, and that’s what makes them feel so believable.

Although Skyward features a lot of imaginative elements, the story truly comes alive through the realistic portrayal of the pilots and their spaceships. The main character, Spensa, is consistently positioned as the underdog, and this creates a compelling and effective dynamic throughout the series.

While Skyward isn’t directly based on The Expanse or Top Gun: Maverick, the show definitely feels like a blend of those stories. However, it still offers plenty of fresh ideas. Even though many fans haven’t yet read the original Skyward story, it’s about to reach a much wider audience on a major platform, and its core themes should resonate with viewers.

I’m really excited about Skyward, and I’m starting to wonder – if the show gets to adapt more of the books, where will they find the ideas for how things look? The first novel set the tone, but I’m curious what visual direction they’ll take after that!

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2026-05-30 02:12