Jordan Vogt-Roberts Set To Direct A Gundam Live Action Film For Netflix?

Jordan Vogt-Roberts is fast becoming an expert in making films with giant things wrecking havoc on the world.  After directing Kong: Skull Island it seems he’ll be exchanging giant apes for giant robots or Mecha as he’s set to direct a live action version of  Gundam.

The film is to be exclusively launched by Netflix and the streaming giants announced the project via Twitter.

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

A tweet cannot begin to express how excited I am by this! https://t.co/Nl3vsdd8fl

— (((Jordan Vogt-Roberts))) (@VogtRoberts) April 12, 2021

The Popular Japanese Anime  is a long running franchise that started as a TV series in 1979. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, and animation studio Sunrise that series was called Mobile Suit Gundam.  The story of Gundam is set in the futuristic Universal Century, in which humanity has grown beyond the sustainability of Earth and seeks colonization in deep space. Conflict between independent colonists and the population of Earth is at the heart of Gundam’s many battles, which are fought using giant mecha called Mobile Suits.

The franchise has spawned various spin-off series, feature films along with Manga, Toys, video games. Gundam is considered an institution which gained worldwide popularity during the 1980s . The franchise is no stranger to Hollywood when one of the ‘Robots’ made a cameo in Stephen Spielberg’s Ready Player One.

The film will be a joint venture between Netflix and Legendary Pictures. Not much is known about the project at this time apart from will have a working title of ‘Gundam‘. Brian K. Vaughn (Y: The Last Man, The Runaways) is set to write the screenplay as well as be one of the executive producers.

It was only a matter of time before a live action  and Vogt-Roberts looks a good choice to direct thanks to his time in the Monster-verse.  However Anime  live action remakes haven’t had the best of times  with Adam Wingard‘s Death Note for Netflix  left fans disappointed. So did Ghost In The Shell which was visually gorgeous , however accused of ‘whitewashing’ by using mostly white actors instead of Asian actors. It was a cautionary feature on how not to make a an Anime Hollywood remake.

No word yet has been made on when Netflix will release Gundam on Netflix, when they do Legendary Pictures will give the film a theatrical release in China. Jordan Vogt-Roberts is also connected to direct live action version of the Japanese video game Metal Gear Solid.