Tobey Maguire as Robotech’s Rick Hunter? That may well be the case as Tobey Maguire may be swapping his Spidey suit to climb inside a giant mech. Casting more doubt on Maguire’s future involvement in the continuing Spider-Man film franchise, it’s been announced that the actor is producing and may be taking a leading role in Robotech, a live-action flick based on the popular anime series from the 1980s.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Pictures acquired the rights to the property after a lengthy negotiation, and Maguire will reportedly produce the adaptation under his Maguire Entertainment banner. More after the jump. Includes Original Robotech Anime Opening Movie
Original Robotech Anime Opening
“We are very excited to bring Robotech to the big screen,” Maguire told THR. “There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film.” There’s no director attached to the project, but the script is set to be penned by Craig Zahler. Zahler is best known in industry circles for penning a well-received, but as-yet-unproduced script, The Brigands of Rattleborge — a dark, violent Western picked up by Vertigo Entertainment.
Warner Bros. is envisioning Robotech as a high-profile summer blockbuster.
THR calls the film a “sprawling sci-fi epic,” and reveals that it 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. Maguire would presumably play one of the 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.”
source: IGN , Hollywood Reporter
Robotech Rules! I know, I know. It’s a mish-mash of three great anime series. Hell, I don’t care. Robotech! Robotech! Robotech! I wonder who will play the Zentradi?
get some poor stunt guy, beef em up by 40x, strap some armor, add a tinge of the color purple and tada!
Instant Zentraedi!
Who will play Minmei? =)
Ami or Yumi? Hehe. I’d rather have Lisa. LoLz. Shocks, I forgot the name of the Zentraedi leader. Hmmmm. Destro’s face keeps popping up in my memory whenever I try to recall Breetai. Ayun! LoLz.