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Sorry Netflix - the Gundam live-action movie from Legendary and Bandai Namco is finally happening (for real this time) - and it is coming to theaters
The movie has been in development since 2018 but this is the closest we've ever gotten to the Gundam live-action movie.
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It feels like every year there is some new development on a live-action Gundam movie. However, because of the huge scale of the potential movie and the imposing nature of the anime’s history mean that it hasn’t gotten past the rumors and planning stages before. However, Bandai Namco Filmworks and Legendary have announced they are (finally) going to make a Gundam live-action movie.
Bandai Namco, who have been the keepers of the Gundam brand for decades, announced that they will establish a new subsidiary named Bandai Namco Filmworks America to help produce the live-action Gundam film and to co-finance it. Their partners in this endeavor are Legendary, the production company behind films like the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Dune.
This represents the most concrete plan for the long-gestating Gundam live-action movie. It also sees a change in scope for the film’s distribution. Originally, the Gundam movie was set to be released on Netflix. However, the press release from Bandai Namco Filmworks states that the live-action Gundam film will instead be released in theaters worldwide.
Mobile Suit Gundam, the anime that spawned the Gundam franchise and changed mecha anime forever, first aired back in 1979 and became a cultural touchstone in Japan. The upcoming Gundam live-action movie was first announced back in 2018, with multiple changes in distributor and director in the seven years that followed. Today’s announcement from Bandai Namco and Legendary marks the biggest steps toward taking Gundam out of production hell and into theaters around the world.
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