Legendary Entertainment's live-action Gundam movie will be co-financed with Bandai Namco Filmworks. The announcement today has seemingly cleared the way for production to begin on the highly anticipated movie, which was first announced back in 2018.
A press release confirmed today that the film is tentatively titled "Gundam," and will serve as a live-action adaptation of the Mobile Suit Gundam series. A teaser poster was also shared confirming, "Co-production of the Gundam live action movie has begun."
Specific plot details remain under wraps, although Mobile Suit Gundam is best known for establishing the mecha genre of IP. The series, which was created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, debuted in 1979 with Mobile Suit Gundam. It features giant robots, or mecha, known as "Gundam." The official press release reads:
Mobile Suit Gundam, which began broadcasting in 1979, established the genre of “real robot anime” that could not be described in terms of simple good and evil, which had been the trend of robot anime up to that point, with realistic depictions of war, detailed scientific examinations, and intricately interwoven human dramas that treated robots as “weapons” called “mobile suits,” and caused a huge boom.
Since its debut in 1979, the Gundam franchise has grown to include 25 anime series, 34 movies, 27 OVAs, TV specials, streaming content, and more. The international franchise is now a global behemoth, generating over $900 million annually. Despite its rich history, this will actually be the first-ever live-action film for the franchise.
Legendary Pictures also confirmed that the movie will be directed and written by Jim Mickle, as originally reported back in October of last year. Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts was originally attached to helm the movie, although in October it was reported that Mickle had been tapped to write and direct the adaptation. He will also produce the film with his partner Linda Moran thorugh their company Nightshade.
Mickle previously served as the showrunner, director, and writer for the hit Netflix series Sweet Tooth. The award-winning director is also known for such films as Mulberry Street, Stake Island, We Are What We Are, and Cold in July.
"We plan to steadily announce details as they become finalized," Legendary and Bandai Namco said. The Gundam movie was originally supposed to be a Netflix, although the press release has now confirmed it will be released worldwide in theaters. No specific date was shared.