I wanted Macross, but this will do for now. Production on the live-action Gundam film has officially started in Queensland, Australia. The upcoming sci-fi actioner is written and directed by Jim Mickle, who is best known for making gritty, character-focused genre films. He’s the filmmaker behind 2010’s Stake Land and 2014’s Cold in July, as well as Netflix’ Sweet Tooth.
The upcoming film is a live-action adaptation of the Gundam anime, a Japanese sci-fi franchise that began with Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979. It centers on giant piloted robots used in complex wars between Earth and space colonies. Beyond anime, it’s a huge global franchise with model kits, toys, games, and deep political storytelling.
Headlining stars include Sydney Sweeney (The Housemaid, The Martial Arts Kid) and Noah Centineo (John Rambo, Street Fighter), along with Jackson White (Tell Me Lies), Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool & Wolverine), Nonso Anozie (Sweet Tooth), Michael Mando (Better Call Saul), Javon “Wanna” Walton (Under the Bridge), Oleksandr Rudynskyi (The Agency), Ida Brooke (Dune: Part Three), Gemma Chua-Tran (Heartbreak High) and Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus).
Footnote: With a live-action Voltron on the way, it feels like giant piloted robot movies are starting to trend again. From old-school stuff like Robot Jox to more recent films like Pacific Rim, it’s always interesting to see how filmmakers try to translate ideas that work so well in animation into live-action. That said, where the hell is my Macross/Robotech movie?
The film is a co-production between Legendary Pictures, Bandai Namco Filmworks, Nightshade and will be distributed by Netflix.
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more. Until then, here’s the classic 1979 opening to the Mobile Suit Gundam series:
