EXCLUSIVE: Legendary’s live-action feature adaptation of Gundam looks to have found a home as sources tell Deadline that Netflix is on board to distribute the pic. Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo are on board to star with Sweet Tooth director Jim Mickle helming.
Netflix and Legendary could not be reached for comment.
The project has been co-developed between Legendary and franchise owner Bandai Namco Filmworks, from Mickle’s own script. Mickle also will produce with his partner Linda Moran through their production company Nightshade. Centineo is also producing with his partner Enzo Marc.
The plot is under wraps, but this will mark the first live-action feature in the Gundam world. A live-action Canadian telefilm called G-Saviour aired on TV Asahi in 1999.
RELATED: Crunchyroll Anime Awards Draws Up Date For 10th Anniversary 2026 Ceremony
One of the most revered anime, Gundam pioneered the sci-fi subgenre known as mecha, IP that centers on giant fighting robots. Gundam is set in the Universal Century, a future where humanity has colonized space. When a rebellion erupts between Earth and its colonies, the ensuing conflict is fought by pilots in massive mechanized contraptions known as mobile suits. The long-running multimedia franchise launched with series the Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979. Since then, the internationally renowned Yoshiyuki Tomino-created endeavor has spanned 83 animated series and movies, in addition to a lucrative merchandising arm that generates $600 million annually.
Legendary Entertainment announced its development of a Gundam film with Netflix in the spring of 2021, with Jordan Vogt-Roberts attached to direct the pic following his work with the studio on its hit Monsterverse installment Kong: Skull Island. However, the streamer and Vogt-Roberts no longer are involved.
Short Description: Netflix will distribute the high-profile live-action Gundam movie starring Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo, marking a major bet on the iconic anime franchise’s blockbuster potential.
Read Time: 2 minutes, 15 seconds
Main Article
Netflix Places a Major Bet on Legendary’s Live-Action Gundam Movie
In a significant move within the entertainment investment landscape, Netflix has secured distribution rights for Legendary Entertainment’s upcoming live-action Gundam movie. This deal, reported exclusively by Deadline, signals a major financial commitment to one of anime’s most valuable and enduring intellectual properties (IP). The project, co-developed with franchise owner Bandai Namco Filmworks, aims to translate the giant robot (mecha) epic into a global blockbuster, tapping into the franchise’s massive built-in fanbase and lucrative merchandising ecosystem, which reportedly generates $600 million annually.
The film will star Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo, with Centineo also serving as a producer. Director Jim Mickle (Sweet Tooth) will helm from his own script. This strategic casting blends rising Hollywood talent with a director known for genre storytelling, a formula aimed at maximizing appeal. For financial analysts and industry watchers, this project represents a high-stakes adaptation. It’s not just another film; it’s an attempt to unlock a new, live-action revenue stream for the Gundam universe, which has spanned over 40 years and 83 animated series and films but has never had a proper theatrical feature.
The path to this point highlights the calculated risk involved. Initially announced in 2021 with a different director and Netflix’s involvement on the production side, the project has been retooled. This persistence underscores the perceived value of the IP. For Legendary Entertainment, already successful with its Monsterverse, this is a play to establish another tentpole franchise. For Netflix, it’s a cornerstone content play designed to drive subscriptions and cultural conversation, competing directly with major studio theatrical releases by bringing a legendary Japanese anime property to a mainstream global audience in a new, expansive format.
Short Summary: Netflix’s deal to distribute the live-action Gundam movie is a major financial and strategic play, leveraging Legendary Entertainment’s production, star power from Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo, and the anime’s billion-dollar legacy. This adaptation aims to transform the iconic mecha franchise’s immense merchandising success and fan devotion into a new, global blockbuster film series for the streaming era.
