Gundam is about to make the jump to live action in a big way — Legendary Pictures is working on a feature film version of Sunrise’s incredibly popular mech suit anime for Netflix, set to be directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts (best known for his work on Kong: Skull Island.)
Legendary was first announced to be working with Sunrise on the live-action Gundam film in 2018, although today’s news doesn’t shed too much light on the upcoming project, which only has a working title at this point. Netflix hasn’t announced details on who might be cast or what the plot will be (or even if the movie will be adapting any of the dozens of different anime arcs, series, and films that already exist in Sunrise’s franchise). Brian K. Vaughan is attached to the project as a writer and executive producer, too.
Grab your Mobile suits! Jordan Vogt-Roberts has been set to direct and produce Legendary’s first-ever live-action feature film version of Sunrise’s GUNDAM for Netflix.
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) April 12, 2021
The project does feel like a nearly perfect blend of subject, studio, and director: Legendary has already produced both Pacific Rim movies (solely focused on gigantic mecha fights) as well as the Godzilla / King Kong “Monsterverse” (most recently capped off by Godzilla vs. Kong, which also features a giant mecha.) And Vogt-Roberts is no stranger to gigantic battles, either, having previously directed Kong: Skull Island for Legendary.
The upcoming Gundam film isn’t Netflix’s first live-action adaptation of a beloved Sunrise anime, either: the streaming service is already working on a live-action version of Cowboy Bebop starring John Cho, which could arrive as early as this year.
