A live-action adaptation ofVoltronis currently in the works, co-written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, the director behind Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time,Red Notice. However, where the film will land is still relatively unknown, as news of the project sparked a heated bidding war in Hollywood over the emblematic giant robot.
TheVoltronfranchisecomes from the Japanese sci-fi anime seriesBeast King GoLionandKikou Kantai Dairugger XV, both projects from Toei Animation. The foundation of the series centers around five young space explorers who pilot a giant robot comprised of cars that join together to form the titular mechanical figure. The franchise instantly became a fan favorite and found multiple homes once studios put different iterations and reboots into place. Netflix became one of the landing spots for the giant robot in the streamer’s animated seriesVoltron: Legendary Defender. However, despite the platform’s overall familiarity with the Japanese anime, Netflix doesn’t appear to be in the running to obtain the live-action adaptation.
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Per THe Hollywood Reporter, the bidding war for the project began about two weeks ago, after a package with pitches and a teaser reel began floating around Hollywood. Warner Bros., Universal, and Amazon are among a collection of studios and streamers fighting for the opportunity to house the live-actionVoltronfilm. The consistent ebb and flow of the moviegoing experience has many studios and streamers looking for the next big thing, which wouldmakeVoltrona valuable prize to obtain. Thurber came up with the initial idea for the story and will co-write the film with Ellen Shanman. The possible landing spot for the project is still pretty unclear, but a deal could potentially surface by the end of the weekend.
However, this isn’t the first time Hollywood has tried to develop aVoltronlive-action film. Previous attempts faded from the topic of discussion in early phases of development, but the heated desire to obtain this project hints that audiences may finally get the long-awaited adaptation. Anticipation will continue to build once casting decisions for the adaptation surface, but finding the project a home is the first step in a long process.Voltroncan be another cross-generational project, targeting different demographic across the spectrum, which would point toward a profitable revenue return. Generations that grew up with theVoltronwould be in attendance, whether at theaters or home, alongside younger generations curious to see what the giant robot has to offer.
Thurber looks to direct the live-action film, but it’s unclear where the project falls in the calendar of his other projects. As stated, Thurber directedNetflix’s original filmRed Notice, which starred Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. The project quickly became a hit on the streaming platform, leading Thurber to write and direct back-to-back sequels for the action-comedy. Those future projects are still in development but look to be the next targets of Thurber’s direction. So while a bidding war forVoltronensues between studios and streamers, audiences may not see the giant robot’s appearance on screen for some time, depending on Thurber’s availability. Nevertheless, knowing the project is coming is enough to hold many over until more official news surfaces around the film’s onscreen arrival.
Aside fromRed Notice, Thurber also directedSkyscraperand the action-comedyCentral Intelligence, starring Johnson. Thurber and Johnson could potentially reunite for a fourth time for theVoltronlive-action, placing the highly-regarded star behind the wheel to help pilot the giant robot. Johnson’s involvement is merely speculative, but it’s hard not to connect the dots between the two. It’ll be interesting to see where the live-action adaptation lands in the coming days, but it’s clear the film’s initial concept is good enough to fight over, which should have audiences excited for what’s to come.
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