Legendary and Bandai Namco Filmworks have announced that Jim Mickle, creator of the hit series “Sweet Tooth,” will be the writer and director of the upcoming live-action adaptation of “Mobile Suit Gundam”the iconic science fiction and mecha franchise. Deadline recently reported on the appointment of Mickle, who joins the collaboration between Legendary and Bandai Namco in a project that has generated great expectations among fans of the series and that will see its first filming in Hollywood in 2025.
Although the story of this adaptation has not yet been revealed, the choice of Mickle has generated mixed opinions, given his unique and different style than what fans of the franchise expected. It should be remembered that in 2021, the project had initially been assigned to director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, known for “Kong: Skull Island”, in collaboration with Netflix. However, it has been confirmed that neither Vogt-Roberts nor Netflix will be involved in the current version, which has revived doubts and curiosity about the direction this adaptation will take.
With 45 years since its launch in Japan in 1979, “Mobile Suit Gundam” has remained current and has been adapted into multiple anime series, OVAs and animated films, becoming a fundamental pillar of Japanese pop culture. However, this will be the first time that the franchise will make the leap to a large-scale live-action adaptation, generating both expectations and concern among its loyal fan base. Legendary's decision to carry out this project reflects its interest in bringing cult works of Japanese animation to a broader audience, similar to what it has already achieved with other iconic franchises such as “Godzilla” and “Pacific Rim.”
The response from the fan community has not been long in coming, and The comments have reflected concern and skepticism regarding the adaptation of classic characters and elements to a Hollywood version. Below are some of the notable translated comments from the community in Japan:
- «Surely they turn Char into a black woman».
- «That's going to make the creator very angry.».
- «The term 'mobile suit' never sounds right to me, even though I know it's correct».
- «Another adaptation? Grandpa, you've done this before».
- «I remember those old Gundam movies on sale at TSUTAYA».
- «I'm sure they make Sayla look like a short and unattractive person of Asian origin.».
- «Char will be gay».
- «The protagonist will be a gay man who loves women, black and overweight.».
- «Captain Bright will almost certainly be a black man».
- «It's the Hollywood rule: always a trusted black officer».
- «Clear! Hollywood will make the Gundam go crazy by AI, and then the American heroes will destroy it to save the city».
- «Lalah will probably be African instead of Indian».
Fountain: Yaraon!
