Released in 2017, Beyond Skyline showed its lackluster 2010 predecessor the correct way to pull off its ambitious and world-threatening alien invasion storyline. Directed by Liam O’Donnell, who took over from the Brothers Strause to spearhead the Skyline franchise, Beyond Skyline became a huge improvement on the film series’ original instalment. While the Skyline franchise has all but fallen under the radar, Beyond Skyline was, surprisingly, a success story for the film series.
Frank Grillo debuted in Beyond Skyline as Detective Mark Corley, who helps his estranged son, Trent (Jonny Weston), out of jail in Los Angeles just as an alien invasion begins. The events of the 2017 sequel take place concurrently with the storyline of Skyline, which kicked off the franchise with Eric Balfour and Scottie Thompson starring as Jarrod and Elaine. Beyond Skyline had a much more successful run than its predecessor, however, and this could soon be repeated in the franchise’s next instalment.
Beyond Skyline Was a Massive Improvement on the Original Skyline Movie
In the original Skyline movie (2010), Jarrod and Elaine visit their best friend Terry (Donald Faison) in LA for his birthday, though the celebration is interrupted by an invasion of aliens who use hypnotic, immobilizing light as a weapon. They hide with other characters in Terry’s high-rise apartment, but they all eventually succumb to the alien invaders. Jarrod becomes an alien-human hybrid, and the biology of their unborn child is altered, allowing Lindsey Morgan to appear as an age-accelerated Rose, their daughter and Mark Corley’s adoptive daughter, in Beyond Skyline and subsequent sequels.
While Skyline’s special effects received high praise, this wasn’t enough to save the movie from a flat and boring storyline with underdeveloped characters and poor writing. Skyline has a whopping 14% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but, in this instance, it’s a blessing the series continued, as Beyond Skyline, released seven years later, has a critics’ score of 70%. While the thin plot, lack of character development, and predictability earned Beyond Skyline mixed reviews, the sequel is considered a vast improvement on the original.
Frank Grillo’s performance in Beyond Skyline brought the sequel more star power and sheer talent, while also upping the entertainment factor, as Grillo is an incredibly charismatic actor. The sequel was also more action-heavy, high-octane, and visually striking, which kept audiences engaged throughout. These are areas where the 2010 original faltered, so it was great to see the sequel deliver a stronger, more accessible story, while progressing the franchise in some interesting ways and maintaining the intimate themes of the original.
The Skyline Franchise’s Next Movie Can Copy Beyond Skyline’s Best Traits
Lindsey Morgan returned as Rose Corley in 2020’s Skylines, set 15 years after the original invasion; however, an upcoming 2025 sequel, Skyline: Warpath, is expected to focus on another Beyond Skyline character. Iko Uwais will be reprising his role of Sua in Skyline: Warpath, which will focus on the human resistance against the alien invaders, five years after the original invasion. It’s suspected that both Frank Grillo and Lindsey Morgan will be returning, too, though this is yet to be determined. Bringing the story back to Earth is the best choice for the franchise.
Skylines took the story into the deepest reaches of outer space, as Rose Corley took the fight to the aliens’, now known as Harvesters, homeworld. Skyline: Warpath will be much more relatable for audiences, bringing the story back to Earth while also excitingly advancing the franchise by introducing the mysterious Radial Gauntlet. The prospect of Frank Grillo’s return, following an absence in the 2020 sequel, is also very exciting and could bring some gravitas and connective tissue back to the series.
Back in 2022, O’Donnell suggested to Deadline that the upcoming sequel could be “our own niche version of a Fast Five/Avengers type of sequel… bringing together the characters from previous instalments.” It seems the storyline has since been altered to focus more on Sua and the human resistance on Earth, but the door is clearly open for Frank Grillo and more to return. This means Skyline: Warpath could repeat the success of Beyond Skyline, and move on even further from the disappointment of the original Skyline movie.
Beyond Skyline premiered on December 15, 2017, and is currently available to watch on Netflix. Skyline: Warpath is expected to release in 2025, with Liam O’Donnell returning to direct, but the sequel doesn’t yet have a confirmed release date.
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