According to Gizmodo, Brandon Sanderson's beloved sci-fi novel Skyward is officially in development as a TV series adaptation — and for fans of the Defiant Flight, the casting conversation is about to get very loud.
Why This Adaptation Has Fancasters Buzzing
Skyward follows Spensa Nightshade, a fiercely determined young woman living in an underground civilization on an alien planet who dreams of becoming a starfighter pilot — despite her family being branded as cowards after her father abandoned a battle. It's a story built on big emotions, found family, and spectacular aerial combat sequences, which means the casting demands are equally big. Spensa alone requires an actress who can carry both raw teenage fury and genuine vulnerability. Then there's Jorgen, the by-the-book flight leader with hidden depths; M-Bot, the sarcastic AI ship who might be one of the funniest characters Sanderson has ever written; and an ensemble of young pilots in Defiant Flight who need to feel like a real crew. For fancasters, this is essentially a dream scenario — a rich ensemble with distinct personalities, spanning age ranges from teenagers to veterans.
Sanderson has one of the most passionate and organized fanbases in genre fiction, and they tend to show up hard for casting conversations. With the Cosmere already generating serious Hollywood momentum, Skyward arriving as a TV project means there's suddenly a whole new universe of roles to debate.
What myCast Fans Are Already Saying
The myCast community hasn't waited for an official greenlight to start dreaming. Across multiple fan-created stories, the votes are already stacking up with some genuinely compelling choices.
The most active story, Skyward, has accumulated 75 total votes across 16 roles, and the picks reveal a thoughtful approach to the ensemble. Keiynan Lonsdale leads all vote-getters with 24 votes for Jorgen Weight — a smart choice that leans into Lonsdale's ability to play characters who initially read as rigid but carry real warmth underneath. Robin Wright has earned 15 votes for Admiral Ivans, and honestly, that's the kind of authoritative, morally complex energy the role needs. Bill Hader has 11 votes for M-Bot, which is an inspired pick — Hader's deadpan comedic timing would make M-Bot's constant mushroom obsession and blunt observations absolutely land. Rounding out the story's picks: leads for Morningtide with 8 votes, has 5 votes for Rig, and picks up 4 votes for Nedd.