Robotech Live-action is coming!!!

[tecnowraith]

Source: http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6274

WB and Maguire Adapting Robotech
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
September 7, 2007

Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up the rights to bring anime classic "Robotech," which featured giant robots known as mechas, to the big screen. "Spider-Man" franchise star Tobey Maguire is producing through his Maguire Entertainment and is eyeing the lead role in what the studio plans on being a tentpole sci-fi franchise.

"We are very excited to bring 'Robotech' to the big screen," Maguire said. "There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film."

Drew Crevello also is producing through his Supercool Hollywood BigTime Productions. Craig Zahler (The Brigands of Rattleborge) will write the screenplay.

"Robotech" was a cartoon series during the 1980s from Harmony Gold USA and Tatsunoko Productions. It was re-edited and re-dialogued to combine three Japanese anime series to give the producers enough episodes to air as a daily syndicated series.

A sprawling sci-fi epic, Robotech takes place at a time when Earth has developed giant robots from the technology on an alien spacecraft that crashed on a South Pacific isle. Mankind is forced to use the technology to fend off three successive waves of alien invasions. The first invasion concerns a battle with a race of giant warriors who seek to retrieve their flagship's energy source known as "protoculture," and the planet's survival ends up in the hands of two young pilots.

Frank Agrama of rights-holder Harmony Gold will executive produce; Jason Netter will serve in a producer capacity.

 

[LrdApoc]

Color me worried by this. How can they even hope to do it justice. I don't mean the Veritechs or Battle Pods, Invid and Bioroids - we've seen from Transformers that effects are good enough for that now, but the plot, story and character development - not to mention the generational aspects.. I'm worried.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I still want to know why "Protoculture" makes more sense as a power source rather than...say...the first culture.

 

[Arnwyn]

It doesn't - but they needed something to tie the 3 series together.



I'm moderately worried. I'm more than happy with the animated series, and history has already proven that I should have doubts about this. Hopefully they do their "own thing" and not try to resurrect any of the iconics (Hunter and Hayes, for example).

 

[Rackhir]

Odds are when they say "Robotech" they mean "Macross" IE. the first series that was adapted as part of Robotech. There was a pretty good movie version of Macross done back in '84 IIRC (which still has some lovely animation). So Macross at least is quite do able as a movie. If the first movie is a hit of course they'll probably look at doing movie versions of the other series Southern Cross (which kinda sucked IMHO) and Mospeada (AKA New Generation).

Also there's my standard warning about stuff reported as "In development" or "has been optioned" both of these mean only slightly more than "maybe at some point". Essentially any source material that could conceivably be made into a movie is optioned or "in development" at any point in time. Only IF they have raised the money and are shooting film with a full cast, director and script does this mean anything in reality.

 

[Mallus]

There was a pretty good movie version of Macross done back in '84 IIRC (which still has some lovely animation).

Is that "Do You Remember Love"... the one where Linn Minmei sings the Zentraedi/Meltrandi battle fleets into submission using an especially egregious j-pop song at the end? 'Cause I love that one... egregious j-pop song notwithstanding.

 

[Rackhir]

Is that "Do You Remember Love"... the one where Linn Minmei sings the Zentraedi/Meltrandi battle fleets into submission using an especially egregious j-pop song at the end? 'Cause I love that one... egregious j-pop song notwithstanding.

Well the song bit happens in both the TV series and the movie, but yes. Unfortunately, there's never been a decent release of DYRL in the US, but fortunately I have the Japanese LD of the movie as well as of the really HORRIBLY dubbed version.

 

[Ranger REG]

Color me worried by this. How can they even hope to do it justice. I don't mean the Veritechs or Battle Pods, Invid and Bioroids - we've seen from Transformers that effects are good enough for that now, but the plot, story and character development - not to mention the generational aspects.. I'm worried.

Well, better to start with one of the three stories that make up Robotech. Personally, I'd go with Volume I: The Macross Saga.

As for plot, story and character development, as much as I love The Macross Saga in anime, it's going to look weird in live-action particularly having Min-Mei singing while SDF-1 used that to tie into the Zentraedi's communication network and demoralize them. Too weird.

What should remain sacred cow is the love triangle between a guy, an older woman, and a young girl.