First announced back in 2018, Legendary Entertainment's live-action Gundam movie has had very little in terms of production updates. The highly anticipated project, which had once had Kong: Skull Island director attached to helm, was said to be coming to Netflix exclusively.
However, a new report from Deadline offers some significant updates. For starters, the movie is no longer coming to Netflix. And secondly, Jordan Vogt-Robers is no longer involved.
According to Deadline, Sweet Tooth showrunner Jim Mickle has been tapped to write and direct the live-action adaptation of Gundam. He will also produce the film with his partner Linda Moran through their company Nightshade.
The reasons behind the changes were not revealed, but Mickle is a great hire for the project. The award-winning director is known for such films as Mulberry Street, Stake Island, We Are What We Are, and Cold in July. But he really became a household name for his work on Sweet Tooth, for he served as director, showrunner, and writer of the acclaimed Netflix series.
Sweet Tooth debuted on the streaming service in June 2021 and was watched by 60 million households a month later. The first season was met with critical acclaim with a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 87% on the Popcornmeter. "Emotionally engaging, superbly acted, and incredibly entertaining, Sweet Tooth will satisfy fantasy fans of all ages," the critics consensus reads.
Based on the comic book of the same name by Jeff Lemire, the series is set in a world in which a virus has killed the majority of the human population. Coinciding with this was the emergence of hybrid babies born with animal characteristics. The story follows a 12-year-old deer hybrid named Gus who sets out to find his mother after the death of his father. The series earned 20 nominations across its first two seasons.
As for the live-action Gundam movie, plot details remain under wraps; however, the franchise is known as the pioneer of the mecha genre of IP. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the global franchise features giant robots, or mecha, known as "Gundam." The franchise began in 1979 with the Mobile Suit Gundam series. The popularity of the show spawned an entire media franchise that includes 50 TV series, films and OVAs, as well as manga, novels, and video games.
Production on Legendary's live-action Gundam movie is expected to begin in early 2025. Despite Gundam's long-running media history,t his will be the first live-action film for the franchise.