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Yoshiyuki Tomino’sMobile Suit Gundamseries features more than 50 anime and movie adaptations, and it’s about to expand even further. A live-action film adaptation has been rumored since 2018, but we only just received a solid, positive update on the status of it.
The initial announcement for a live-actionMobile Suit Gundammovie happened at Anime Expo 2018. Legendary Pictures and Sunrise, the studio that animates everything related toGundam,announced this.
Brain K. Vaughn was set to write, and in 2021, Netflix had picked it up with Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts as director. However, in October 2024, Jim Mickle, the director of Netflix’sSweet Tooth,replaced Vogt-Roberts and the new film is no longer under Netflix. So what’s really going on?
The newGundamfilm opens up a new branch of Bandai Namco Filmworks in America
Debuting in 1979,Mobile Suit Gundamis the legendary mecha anime series.Yoshiyuki Tominohas no idea what kind of legacy he would build from just one series that turned into more than 50 adaptations in the future. Now, it’s Hollywood’s turn to take a chance at adapting it but in the live-action format.
With Jim Mickle and the production company forDunebehind the newGundamfilm, it might just have the budget to do justice to the grand world ofMobile Suit Gundam.Yoshiyuki Tomino might look down on himselfbut the grand mecha universe isn’t easy to replicate in live-action, a testament to his genius.
Gundam Creator Tomino Dislikes Attack on Titan So Much He Doesn’t Even Want to Read It
The announcement of Mickle taking over as the director isn’t the latest news, however. Bandai Namco Filmworks, still famously known as Sunrise, is expanding to the United States of America.
BREAKING: Mobile Suit Gundam is getting a Hollywood live-action movie, tentatively titled GUNDAM!Bandai Namco Filmworks announced today that it has signed a joint investment agreement with Legendary Entertainment to co-produce the film, which is set for a worldwide theatrical…pic.twitter.com/KUKG4kR3D0
On 03 June 2025, they announced Bandai Namco Filmworks America which will be responsible for theGundamlive-action film. With this news, it is officially in development and no longer just rumored.
How areGundamfans reacting to the news?
Knowing the reputation of live-action films in the anime community, it’s gotten mixed feelings.Mobile Suit Gundamespecially relies on the classic anime style. They also aren’t convinced by the news after 6 years of teasing.
One of the several adaptations alsoinvolved experimental 3D and CGI animation, calledRing of Gundam,which didn’t exactly take off.
If Mickle and the executives at Legendary Pictures can maintain the spirit of Tomino’s Gundam, there’s no stopping the live-action film from becoming one of the greatest adaptations. The story is reminiscent of Hollywood science-fiction films, so perhaps they will do justice.
“Death is within my reach”: Yoshiyuki Tomino Opens Up About the Legacy of Gundam and Its Impact on Future Generations
Overall, considering past live-action adaptations of anime series and how insanely complicatedGundamis, the Hollywood adaptation can go either way. Only time will tell if Sunrise has made a terrible decision or the best gamble.
Bidisha Mitra
Articles Published :802
Bidisha is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with over 700 published articles. With over 7 years of writing experience, she’s versatile and adept. When she’s not writing, she’s also a voice actor on the side.Bidisha is currently continuing to learn Japanese and gets more fluent everyday. Her expertise is One Piece, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Haikyuu, but has been watching anime for over a decade. She was previously a Content Writer reviewing the latest Kpop music.
