Robotech - news, rumors, castings..
 

Maguire, WB attack the big screen with 'Robotech'
By Borys Kit
Sept 7, 2007

TORONTO -- After slipping on a mask for Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire might be slipping into a giant robot for "Robotech."

After a lengthy negotiation, Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up the rights to bring anime classic "Robotech," which featured giant robots known as mechas, to the big screen. Maguire is producing through his Maguire Entertainment banner and is eyeing the lead role in what the studio plans on being a tentpole sci-fi franchise.

"We are very excited to bring 'Robotech' to the big screen," Maguire said. "There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film."

Drew Crevello also is producing through his Supercool Hollywood BigTime Prods. Craig Zahler ("The Brigands of Rattleborge") has been tapped to write the screenplay.

"Robotech" was a cartoon series during the 1980s from Harmony Gold USA and Tatsunoko Prods. It was re-edited and re-dialogued to combine three Japanese anime series to give the producers enough episodes to air as a daily syndicated series.

A sprawling sci-fi epic, "Robotech" takes place at a time when Earth has developed giant robots from the technology on an alien spacecraft that crashed on a South Pacific isle. Mankind is forced to use the technology to fend off three successive waves of alien invasions. The first invasion concerns a battle with a race of giant warriors who seek to retrieve their flagship's energy source known as "protoculture," and the planet's survival ends up in the hands of two young pilots.

Frank Agrama of rights-holder Harmony Gold will exec produce; Jason Netter will serve in a producer capacity.

Matthew Reilly brought the project to Warners and is overseeing. Daniel Shafer brought the project to Maguire and will shepherd for the company.

The success of DreamWorks/Paramount's $311 million-grossing "Transformers" has other studios looking to assemble a giant robot movie of their own. Last month, Regency picked up 1980s Japanese anime series "Voltron," with Mark Gordon attached to produce. Ironically, Warners had the first giant robot movie back in 1999: Brad Bird's animated feature "The Iron Giant."

Maguire is repped by CAA, Management 360 and attorney Steve Warren. Zahler is repped by UTA and attorney P.J. Shapiro.

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Does this mean Tobey will be Rick Hunter?

This could be really, really cool.

Wow.

Would Val Kilmer as Roy be too obvious?

Sweet, so if this does well, how long before Voltron and Gobots movies? Maybe a remake of Robot Jox as well!

Not long at all...

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=431880

Sweet, so the Gobots movie is all but guaranteed! It'll be cheap to make too, as they can just make the robots by adding a face on the bottom of the cars.

If they make a Gobots movie I will stop watching movies altogether.

Ugh... I hope they don't ruin it.

Could be cool. Spiderman is the best superhero franchise after Superman. Toby is a good casting for Rick. Please keep Michael Bay away from this.

Must...contain.....warring emotions.....

...excited......worried....


Tobey Maguire as Rick Hunter? Meh. There are worse choices, although he seems a little old.

I'd better not see the words Micheal or Bay anywhere near this.....

I am an original Robotech fan. Started watching in 1985. I love the original series flaws and all, but the rest of the story is just a big mess. The comics, the new direct to DVD movies, etc.

This is obviously going to be different, but it may be what the series needs. Think BSG re-imagining.

Toby seems more like Max than Rick to me.

starblazers movie anyone? :)

I can only hope that if Robotech does well that Starblazers couldn't be far off.
I'd be there opening night for that. Robotech, I would likely see in the first couple of weeks (depending on reviews and story).

I always hated the Robotech stuff (thought it was pretty silly) but had a friend in highschool who was totaly into Mechwariors. I think Mechwarior universe would make a much better movie.

Sadly, I have a feeling this will turn out terrible.

Funny, there's several times I've been watching the new BSG, and was highly reminded of Robotech.


Maguire as Rick Hunter though? Way too old. Rick was practically a child at the start, that's what makes his story so poignant.

Not only should Rick be younger, but a little more attractive than Tobey Maguire IMO. If they are going for a few years older, Sarah Michelle Gellar would make a good Lisa Hayes.

He was also staunchly anti-war/anti military. I think it could still work showing a change in character over time. I just don't want to see the crazy hair on live action actors! Works for anime, but military realism not so much.

I also wonder how much of the first series will be condensed into two hours. Or would they do all three series' as three movies.

Unless they plan 2-3 movies, they are going to have to do major rewrites. The 1st movie would be them learing about RT & fighting off the Zentradi and leaping to the outer edge of the solar system. The 2nd movie could be their fight back to earth. #3 is them on Earth and ends with the final massive space battle. If #4, it could be the reconstruction time and ends with the destruction of the SDF-1

when I saw Transformers and how good the cgi looked I realized good mecha movies are going to be coming
I'm hoping for Battletech

and since it's a Robotech movie and not Macross, 5-7 could be Dana Sterling's stuff against the masters, 8-10 would be Scott Bernard against the invid and 11-13 would be Admiral Hunter going against the invid and masters on their homeworlds

I'm horrified by the thought of a live action Lynn Minmay.

Exactly, it's not Macross. That means we probably should expect and be prepared for massive changes to even the Robotech "source material". From what I have read on Robotech.com characters/mecha will probably be changed simply due to a history of lawsuits over Macross/Robotech rights. Macross merchandising, specifically of the VF planes, is huge, and has always remained an ongoing battle between numerous companies.

Given Toby's desire to play the main character, and the fact that the "Macross" portion of Robotech was a coming of age story with Rick Hunter, they might be making something completely new up for the movie.