Last week, Netflix announced that a live-action Gundam feature film is in the works, a collaboration with Legendary Entertainment and Sunrise. Heading the project is Jordan Vogt-Roberts (of Kong: Skull Island fame) as director, while comic author Robert K. Vaughn (Saga) is writing the original script.
Vogt-Roberts took to Twitter last night for the first time since the announcement, sharing some propitious words on the platform. The director called the project “an absolute dream,” and praised the collaboration of Legendary and Netflix with Sunrise, the owners of the multi-billion-dollar Gundam IP.
The quote shared in the message has fueled much speculation and excitement online. It’s from the series’ original antagonist, Char Aznable, taken from Char’s Counterattack.
The people of Earth do nothing but pollute it. Their souls are weighed down by gravity.
It caught the attention of many fans wondering what the story will be about or where in Gundam’s sprawling timeline(s) the film will be set. Char’s Counterattack, released in 1988, was Gundam’s first theatrical release and the franchise’s first conclusion, culminating in a decisive battle between the Earth Federation and Newborn Neo Zeon heroes Amuro Ray and Char.
While there have been many movies since, Vogt-Robert’s Gundam will be another first for the franchise as a live-action feature.
In another Tweet, Vogt-Roberts shared the eye-catching concept art we first saw at the Netflix Japan Festival last week.
The fiery mobile suit was illustrated by ILM’s Stephen Zavala, who worked on concept art for everything ranging from Star Wars’ sequel trilogy to Pacific Rim: Uprising to Bumblebee. All of which goes to show that Netflix is giving Gundam the star treatment with the incredible crew already working on it.