[chator]

This past weekends Anime Expo 2009 had a panel discussion titled, Robotech Past, Present, Future. The following was revealed,

Warner Brothers has acquired the rights to produce a live action Robotech film with Tobey Maguire, Akiva Goldsman and Jason Netter attached as producers.

It was also confirmed that Warner Brothers has hired, Ian Fleming Award winning novelist, Tom Rob Smith as a screenwriter for the live action film, joining previously announced writers, including Lawrence Kasdan, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Smith wrote the New York Times bestselling novel Child 44.

Though not definative, it seems likely it will be a Macross-based film, with Tobey McGuire-longtime Robotech fan, playing Rick Hunter, but that's just a guess.

[Saquist]

I can't stand Tobey Mc in my favorite adaptations...
It's awful. He looks nothing like Rick Hunter...he a huge whinner and frankly an average actor.

[chator]

Originally Posted by Saquist

I can't stand Tobey Mc in my favorite adaptations...
It's awful. He looks nothing like Rick Hunter...he a huge whinner and frankly an average actor.

It's his production company that's making this happen. Besides what i said was just speculation.

[Commodore]

Warner Bros. wants to make Robotech into the next big mega movie franchise, but the project has been in various stages of development for almost the past two years now (which really isn't that terribly long given that some start-up properties--like Tobey's Spider-man, actually--took over a decade to get to the big screen).

I wish Tobey the best of luck in getting this movie done, but personally, I'm more interested in the sequel to The Shadow Chronicles anime myself.

Hopefully, Robotech doesn't share the same fate as Pharrell Williams' doomed attempt to bring Voltron to the big screen...

[Saquist]

It's also been at various stages of disappointment.

[Samuel]

Thing is, Harmony Gold never had world-wide distribution rights I think. Only in North America, which was the only way it could get access to Macross. But now that WB has the rights it can stick with 'Macross' or go with 'Robotech'. IIRC it was all a bit complicated. However... Toby? I just dont see him as the lead. Of course he could play one of the other guys instead.

Then again, Leo DeCaprio's production company is making Akira. However word is that he wont be in it.

[Vincent Cain]

Originally Posted by Samuel

Thing is, Harmony Gold never had world-wide distribution rights I think. Only in North America, which was the only way it could get access to Macross. But now that WB has the rights it can stick with 'Macross' or go with 'Robotech'. IIRC it was all a bit complicated. However... Toby? I just dont see him as the lead. Of course he could play one of the other guys instead.

Then again, Leo DeCaprio's production company is making Akira. However word is that he wont be in it.

Actually, Akira's dead.
As for Robotech, I'm taking a wait and see attitude.

[Samuel]

Originally Posted by Vincent Cain

Actually, Akira's dead.
As for Robotech, I'm taking a wait and see attitude.

It is? Last I heard it was going to be a two-parter, with the first coming out in 2011.

[chator]

Originally Posted by Commodore

I wish Tobey the best of luck in getting this movie done, but personally, I'm more interested in the sequel to The Shadow Chronicles anime myself.

Hopefully, Robotech doesn't share the same fate as Pharrell Williams' doomed attempt to bring Voltron to the big screen...

I heard Shadow Chronicles was on hold pending what happens with the live action movie. I would guess with the success of Transformers 2 which is now $300 million, that they'll move ahead with it speedily. Plus, one of the technical drawbacks to doing Robotech in the past (showing how vehicles can transform into robots), has been overcome, thanks to Transformers.

[Commodore]

Originally Posted by chator

I heard Shadow Chronicles was on hold pending what happens with the live action movie.

Harmony Gold is definitely proceeding ahead with the sequel, Shadow Rising, but it's a painfully slow process. HG is a rather small outfit and doesn't have the resources to crank out a lot of stuff quickly with the overseas studio (DR Movie, I think) doing the actual animation. But I expect Shadow Rising to come out before the movie ever will.