One Piece Netflix Team Tackles Brandon Sanderson's Epic Saga Next

Let’s be honest, adapting big-name fantasy or sci-fi novels is always a bit of a minefield — and more often than not, they end up disappointing. Against the odds, though, Tomorrow Studios actually pulled off Netflix’s live-action One Piece. That lot could easily have fumbled the whole thing, but credit where it’s due: the show’s a hit. So, what are they doing next? Only having a crack at Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward. That’s right, Sanderson — the bloke whose books sell like hot cakes but somehow have never been adapted for screen... until now.

So, What’s Skyward All About?

Skyward is the kickoff to Sanderson’s four-book YA series — think spaceships, dogfights and teens with a chip on their shoulder.

• Centres on Spensa (aka 'Spin' Nightshade), a stubborn teenager marooned on a planet that’s regularly attacked by a hostile alien race called the Krell
• She dreams of becoming a fighter pilot to protect what’s left of humanity (and, let’s be fair, clear her family’s stained reputation)
• There’s a secret power lurking in the mix, naturally, and it’s got the potential to either save everyone or make the whole situation far messier
• If you know Sanderson, you won’t be shocked to hear it all gets quite ‘let’s put on the cape’ and superhero-esque by the end

Who’s Actually Making the Thing?

Bit of a surprise here: Sanderson himself is involved in writing the pilot. He’s not going it alone though — he’s got Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen on board. Those names might ring a bell: yes, they did Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. In fairness, that show was a bit of a rollercoaster quality-wise, but it nailed the whole high-concept action drama thing more often than not.

"I’ve been working on the Skyward series for nearly a decade, and to have a partner like Tomorrow Studios to help bring this story to television is a dream come true," Sanderson said. You’d hope so, after that long.

Sanderson Fever: Suddenly Everywhere

Here’s what’s odd: for a bloke who’s shifted over 50 million books, Sanderson’s work has never made it to screen. Suddenly, though, it’s all happening at once. Apple’s gotten its mitts on the rights to the Cosmere stuff (that’s the interconnected universe where most of his novels are set), and is lining up the Mistborn series as films and The Stormlight Archive for telly. He’s meant to be heavily involved, so fingers crossed it won’t go completely off the rails like some other literary adaptations we could name.

Worth noting: the Skyward books don’t actually take place in that Cosmere world. It’s their own universe entirely — the Cytoverse, for the completists out there. And if you’re wondering where you’ll be able to actually watch this Skyward adaptation, join the queue. No streaming home yet, so it’ll be the wild west until someone coughs up the cash.

Where’s This All Headed?

If you fancy getting ahead, Skyward is already finished as a book series. You’ve got:

• Skyward (2018)
• Starsight (2019)
• Cytonic (2021)
• Defiant (2023)
• Plus a handful of tie-in novellas for the die-hards

In terms of the show: don’t ask me when it’s coming out, who’ll play who, or even if it’s going to be live-action or animated. All of that’s still firmly under wraps (or possibly undecided). But the train has left the station, and with Sanderson himself steering, there’s at least a fighting chance of it doing more justice than those car-crash attempts we’ve seen with other franchises.

"Brandon has created a thrilling universe where courage, curiosity and determination to challenge what we think can change the fate of entire worlds," Tomorrow Studios bosses Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements enthused. "The vision that he, Jed and Maurissa have for a television adaptation is 'defiant to the end'."

Put simply: Sanderson fans, this really could be your year. Hollywood’s finally waking up.