The long-awaited live-action adaptation of the iconic Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is finally moving forward, with Bandai Namco and Legendary Pictures entering a co-financing agreement to bring the project to fruition.
While initially announced in 2018, updates have been scarce. However, this recent announcement from Legendary and the newly established Bandai Namco Filmworks America signals that a live-action Gundam film is finally headed to theaters worldwide.
The companies confirmed that the currently untitled film will be written and directed by Kim Mickle (known for Sweet Tooth) and receive a global theatrical release.
This marks the first live-action foray for a franchise boasting an impressive legacy: 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 unveiled.
They further highlighted the franchise's impact: "Beginning in 1979, Mobile Suit Gundam revolutionized the 'real robot anime' genre, moving beyond simplistic good versus evil narratives. Its realistic portrayal of war, detailed scientific elements, and complex human dramas, treating robots (or 'mobile suits') as weapons, sparked a cultural phenomenon."
