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Robotech, the 1980s animated series that helped cement anime as a fandom in the U.S., is heading to Sony for a series of live-action films.
Assembled from three unrelated Japanese series – The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA – Robotech was a series that aired in syndication on weekdays in the U.S. starting in 1985. While it was divisive with purists of the original three series, it sparked an interest in many people in what other properties and stories there were in Japan, and is one of the key reasons that anime still enjoys a loyal fanbase in this country.
Now Sony Pictures has acquired the film rights to the series and is apparently fast tracking it to launch a series of big budget films. Doug Belgrad, Michael De Luca and Matthew Milam will be responsible for shepherding the project along for the studio,
De Luca said of the project:
Robotech is unique in that it has always been a marriage of spectacle with human characters that seem drawn from life. That’s why we are so excited to be working with Mark and Gianni as we move forward on this project. With a history that offers an epic love triangle, a renegade hero, and a world on the brink of extinction, Robotech offers a wide scope and a rich and impressive universe where the story possibilities are endless.
The original Macross Saga portion of Robotech is the most beloved portion by far, and there is enough in that section alone for three to four movies. While the Veritech fighters were clearly based on F-14 Tomcats, a popular miltary plane of the 1980s, changing them to anything else would probably be the biggest sticking point for a lot of fans.
No other names have been attached to the project yet in the way of writers, directors or actors, and no timeline has been laid out as to when we might begin to expect the films.
