The long-awaited day has finally arrived for anime mech fans as Mobile Suit: Gundam has finally announced that production has begun on its upcoming live-action adaptation. Initially announced all the way back in 2018, many anime fans have wondered if the Gundam film from Bandai Namco and Legendary Pictures would ever see the light of day. Luckily, we have good news for fans as not only have the two companies announced that the movie has turned the keys to its engine, the companies have shared the first poster for the upcoming project. Following the success of Netflix’s One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender, this might be the next big thing in live-action anime adaptations.

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Originally, when the live-action anime adaptation was announced, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island, The Kings of Summer) was slated to helm the project. Last year however, the director was changed from Vogt-Roberts to Jim Mickle (Sweet Tooth) though comic book legend Brian K. Vaughn is reportedly still attached to write the screenplay. No release window has been revealed for the upcoming film simply titled “Gundam” at this point, though this is the most positive news in some time for the long-awaited project that will modernize aspects of the beloved mech franchise.

[RELATED: Mobile Suit Gundam Live-Action Movie Finds New Director]

Gundam Lives

The announcement arrived via a press release from Bandai Namco, revealing that Bandai Namco Filmworks and Legendary will be co-financing the project to work on the “first-ever” live-action Gundam movie. On top of this partnership, Bandai Namco also announced that it will be creating a North American subsidiary, Bandai Namco Filmworks America, LLC, to aid in the production of the Gundam film. While nothing has been confirmed, the creation of this new branch might be good news for other properties under the Bandai umbrella when it comes to new projects in Hollywood.

While the exact story of the upcoming Gundam film has yet to be revealed, it was initially sold as mimicking the original anime that started it all. When the Mobile Suit: Gundam franchise first began in the 1970s, it witnessed the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon going to war in the stars. At the forefront of both sides were the pilots Amuro and Char, respectively, as they butted heads and would routinely attempt to aid their side in winning the never-ending war. Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how the Gundam live-action adaptation changes things up from the source material. You can check out the first poster for the upcoming movie below.

The Future of Gundam Anime

While the live-action movie might still be on the horizon, the Gundam anime franchise is still going strong with projects right around the corner. Gundam GQuuuuuux recently hit theaters in Japan, holding the top spot for two weekends straight, with a North American release arriving later this month. The film might just be the first three episodes of the new series arriving at some point this spring, but it was still able to be a major hit on the silver screen. Ironically enough, the Hideaki Anno led series apparently has connections to the original series that many might not expect.

Want to stay in the loop when it comes to the upcoming live-action Gundam film? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest updates on the mech franchise and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Bandai Namco Press Release