On paper,
a live-action Gundam movie from the studio behind Pacific Rim seems like a no-brainer. However, Gundam has been around for decades and there have been numerous Hollywood studios that have approached and been rebuffed by Sunrise in the past. So why now?
Gundam Universe translated a recent interview with Sunrise President Miyakawa Yasuo, where he revealed that Sunrise's consolidation of the Asian market now makes the project feasible. With that stronghold, the company now feels secure enough to turn their attention to Western territories.
"Already, about 30-40% of Gundam products are sold abroad. Now, it is time to return to the North American market which Sunrise moved away from in recent years. To be able to enter that market, a live-action project feels necessary."
It's currently unknown just how far the project is in development, however many anime fans are hoping that Legendary and Sunrise don't rush the project as the franchise could be a gold mine that shines fresh light on the mecha genre, which has given way to moe magic girls and battle shonen IPs in recent years.