After years of false starts and “Is this actually happening?” energy, the idea of a live-action Gundam film is finally feeling very real. Netflix has officially come on board to help distribute the long-gestating project from Legendary Entertainment, which will star Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo. For fans of the franchise, this is obviously a huge moment, the first major live-action film associated with one of the most iconic worlds in the realm of anime.
Gundam’s live-action future looks real
The film is being directed by Jim Mickle, who won a lot of fans over with Sweet Tooth, and is writing the script himself. This is already giving fans hope that the film is not just going to be loud and have a lot of cool effects, but that there is actually substance to the project. Mickle is producing the film, alongside Linda Moran under her Nightshade Productions, and Centineo is also on board to produce. Legendary is developing the project with Bandai Namco Filmworks.
Of course, details are being kept tight under wraps, including which characters Sweeney and Centineo will be playing. However, the creative team assembled suggests that this will be a more grounded approach to storytelling—something that Gundam has always excelled at. At their core, giant mobile suits or robots aside, Gundam has never been a show about robots. It has always been a show about war, politics, and the cost of conflict.
Since its debut in 1979 as Mobile Suit Gundam, the franchise has defined the mecha genre by making its robots weapons rather than superheroes. Over time, it has grown to encompass numerous series, films, novels, and video games. It has become a cultural touchstone in Japan and a touchstone for fans of anime around the world.
This project has had a long and bumpy road so far. There were earlier versions that quietly went nowhere. However, Netflix’s involvement suggests a fresh start, even if there are concerns about whether or not this will actually see a theatrical release or go straight to streaming.
There is certainly reason for concern. Hollywood has a poor record of adapting anime into live-action films. However, Gundam is a franchise that has been around for so long, has such a rich history, and has been so influential that this is a chance to get it right.
