Fans of the long-forgotten (but uncannily ahead of its time) Japanese anime series, Star Blazers, have cause to rejoice today. Skydance Productions has confirmed that the much in-demand Christopher McQuarrie will now not only pen the script for their impending live-action adaptation, but he will be sitting in the director’s seat as well.
If you’ll recall, it was way back in 2011 when Skydance acquired the rights to the series and quickly attached McQuarrie to write the screenplay for their new property. Since then, Star Blazers has languished in development purgatory, making today’s news a welcome surprise.
Star Blazers (in itself an American adaptation of the Japanese anime sensation Space Battleship Yamato) was first broadcast in the U.S. in 1974, where it quickly attained a cult following. The story centers on a ragtag group of survivors who flee a post-apocalyptic Earth aboard the Battleship Yamato (built from the remains of a World War II warship). They head off in search of salvation after a devastating war against an alien race known as the Gamilons.
Released prior to the late-1970’s sci-fi boom which was igninted by Star Wars (and which continued unabated for the remainder of the decade), Star Blazers is ripe for a 21st Century reimagining and this new version (if McQuarrie is able to re-create what made the original so appealing while updating it for modern audiences) has the potential to evolve into a new franchise for the on-the-roll Skydance (who are enjoying a stellar year thanks to blockbusters Star Trek: Into Darkness, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and World War Z.)
Are you as excited as I am about the potential of a live-action take on this Star Blazers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!