Live-Action Gundam Movie Gets An Acclaimed Writer

It's been almost a year since Legendary Pictures announced a live-action Gundam film. In collaboration with Sunrise--the Japan-based animation studio responsible for the mecha anime franchise--the announcement came during Anime Expo 2018 before going radio silent. Now, the companies are back with another announcement: Brian K. Vaughan will pen the script.

As reported by Deadline, Vaughan has signed on to write the screenplay for the forthcoming live-action Gundam flick. Vaughan, an acclaimed comic book writer who penned several Lost episodes, has written numerous comic books and graphic novels ranging from Marvel (Wolverine #131: "It Fell to Earth") to DC (Batman #588-590: "Close Before Striking") and more. In addition to writing the screenplay, Vaughan will serve as the project's executive producer.

The news comes just one month before Mobile Suit Gundam's 40th anniversary. Released in April 1979, the series--sometimes referred to as First Gundam or Gundam '79--launched as an anime with 43 episodes, a manga with two volumes, and a set of three films. Following the release of Mobile Suit Gundam, the mecha anime entered pop culture zeitgeist, spawning several spin-offs in the universe including Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, and others.

Gundam isn't just an anime and manga series, though. The acclaimed franchise has also entered the gaming space with several titles. While the franchise's gaming history dates back to the arcade days of yore, Gundam didn't see much recognition with home consoles until Mobile Suit Gundam launched on PlayStation in 1995. The latest entry in the Gundam franchise on console was New Gundam Breaker, released on the PlayStation 4 and PC in September 2018.

Executive Producer Cale Boyter (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Pokémon Detective Pikachu) will oversee the live-action Gundam project. There's no word on who'll appear in the film or when it'll release as of yet.