For all that the Mobile Suit Gundam universe has grown over the years, it has little to boast on the live-action front. The disastrous outing that was G-Saviour, currently rated 3.9 on IMDb, is better left forgotten in the annals of history, while Ready Player One brought the classic RX-78 mech to life in a brief cameo.
Now, the beloved mecha series is getting another shot at the big-screen treatment. Bandai Namco Filmworks, whose parent company owns the rights to the IP, has inked an agreement with Hollywood giant Legendary Entertainment to co-finance the upcoming live-action adaptation tentatively titled GUNDAM.
Jim Mickle, showrunner of Netflix’s hit series Sweet Tooth, will serve as the director and writer. A teaser visual confirmed the start of co-production, but not much else is known about the project, including story and casting details, except there are plans for a worldwide theatrical release.
Alongside the movie, Bandai Namco also unveiled the American arm of its film studio, which will focus on expanding licensing efforts and strengthening the franchise’s presence in the global market.
Netflix originally announced a live-action Gundam film back in 2018, with Kong: Skull Island‘s Jordan Vogt-Roberts attached to direct, and Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Y: The Last Man) onboard as writer and executive producer.
Created by Sunrise and Yoshiyuki Tomino in 1979, Mobile Suit Gundam marked the first entry in the long-running franchise. It introduced the main Universal Century timeline and would go on to spawn a host of anime series, movies, novels, spin-offs, video games, and of course, the ever-popular toys, otherwise known as Gunpla. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX is the latest addition to the list, featuring a script written by Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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