Ever since Transformers first set the box office on fire, there’s been talk about taking 80s robot cartoon Voltron and turning it live action and big screen. However despite numerous attempts (which ever got as far as the creating the concept art you can see on this post, the project has failed to get off the ground.
However now might be a good time to resurrect it, as with Transformers going to have to reboot somewhat with the departure of Michael Bay and Shia Labeouf, as well as Guillermo Del Toro’s mech-inspired Pacific Rim gearing up, it could allow another giant robot movie to slip in and find success.
It seems Relativity media thinks similarly, as they’ve used Comic-Con (and Variety) to announce the studio has optioned the feature film rights for Voltron: Defender of the Universe from World Event Productions, and will adapt it into a live-action big screen version. The project was brought to Relativity through their deal with Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, whose company will shepherd the project.
In Voltron: Defender of the Universe, an elite battle force defends the fate of mankind in the spectacular action adventure. Five young warriors are responsible for the future of the galaxy when they become pilots of a battalion of ultra-high-tech Robot Lions, powerful vessels with the ability to join together to form a fearsome mega-weapon known as Voltron: Defender of the Universe.
According to the press release, ‘The original series, based on the Japanese anime properties Beast King GoLion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV, aired in the United States for two years and has been described as an “international pop-culture hit” that has garnered a large following over the last 25 years. In recent years, the Voltron: Defender of the Universe property has sold over 300,000 DVDs, established numerous apparel and consumer product deals and has spawned a highly-successful TV series, Voltron Force, which became Nicktoon’s highest-rated debut ever on June 16, 2011.’
This is certainly the closest this long-gestating project has come to happening, although there’s still some way until it gets to the screen, not least guaranteeing the funding needed and getting a director and cast onboard. It could make a fun flick though, so hopefully they’ll have more luck than previous people have.