The long-awaited live-action adaptation of the iconic Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is finally moving forward, with Bandai Namco and Legendary Pictures officially co-financing the project.
While initially announced in 2018, details have been scarce until now. However, the collaboration between Legendary and the newly established Bandai Namco Filmworks America signals that production is underway, and fans can anticipate the first-ever live-action Gundam film hitting theaters worldwide.
The currently untitled film will be written and directed by Kim Mickle (known for Sweet Tooth) and receive a global theatrical release.
This marks a significant step for a franchise boasting an impressive portfolio: 25 anime series, 34 animated films, 27 original anime productions, and a hugely successful toy line, generating over $900 million in annual revenue.
Bandai Namco and Legendary stated, "We plan to steadily announce details as they become finalized." Specific release dates and plot points remain undisclosed, although a teaser poster has been released.
They further emphasized the franchise's impact: "Mobile Suit Gundam, debuting in 1979, revolutionized the 'real robot anime' genre. Departing from the simplistic good-versus-evil narratives prevalent at the time, it presented realistic portrayals of war, detailed scientific explorations, and complex human dramas, establishing mobile suits as weapons and sparking a cultural phenomenon."
