Bandai Namco Filmworks America set to bolster licensing and brand presence ahead of live-action Gundam film
Bandai Namco Holdings USA Inc. has announced the creation of a new subsidiary, Bandai Namco Filmworks America, LLC, set to officially launch on April 1. This strategic move aims to strengthen the company’s foothold in the international market, focusing on foreign licensing and brand management. The timing aligns with preparations for the much-anticipated live-action Gundam film, a collaboration between Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks) and Legendary Pictures.
The road to Gundam's Hollywood debut has been years in the making. At Anime Expo 2018, Bandai Namco Holdings president Mitsuaki Taguchi and Legendary’s Cale Boyter took the stage to announce the project, with Robert Napton—former Bandai Entertainment Director of Marketing and now Senior VP of Publishing at Legendary Comics—moderating the panel.
Key connections between Sunrise and Legendary Pictures were forged thanks to Gundam Unicorn's statue cameo in Pacific Rim: Uprising. At a Project Anime industry presentation in March 2019, Napton and Sunrise film production expert Ken Iyadomi revealed that the cameo opened the door to collaboration. While navigating the right contacts proved challenging, Iyadomi noted that convincing Sunrise’s CEO was surprisingly easy. The streamlined structure at Legendary also accelerated decision-making, smoothing out negotiations.
The live-action Gundam film has evolved considerably since its announcement. Jim Mickle, best known as the showrunner of Sweet Tooth, has stepped in to write and direct the film. He will also produce it alongside his partner Linda Moran through their Nightshade production company. Bandai Namco Filmworks and Legendary Pictures cemented their joint investment in the film this past January, signaling strong collaborative momentum.
Initially, Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island) was announced as director and executive producer, with celebrated comic book author Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) attached to write the script and serve as executive producer. The film's production roster includes industry veterans like Makoto Asanuma, Mary Parent (Legendary’s vice chair of Worldwide Production), Cale Boyter (Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Dune), and Naohiroshi Ogata from Sunrise.
Netflix originally secured the global streaming rights for the film and even revealed concept art back in November 2021. However, in November 2024, it was announced that the project would no longer be exclusive to Netflix. Bandai now plans to bring the movie to the big screen, with production currently in full swing.
What’s Next for the Gundam Universe?
While the live-action project has generated considerable buzz, there have been other mysterious developments within the Gundam universe. At the "Gundam Franchise's New Work Unveiling" event in April 2018, Sunrise briefly teased a project tentatively titled Mobile Suit Gundam UC2. Described as an “overseas drama” set in Universal Calendar 0104, it was slated for a 2022 release. However, Gundam Unicorn novelist Harutoshi Fukui quickly downplayed the reveal, telling fans to "pretend you didn’t see that," adding an air of mystery to Sunrise’s future plans.
With Bandai Namco Filmworks America now in place, the company is positioning itself for greater international reach. As the live-action Gundam film continues to progress, fans can expect more groundbreaking projects that will further solidify Gundam’s status as a global phenomenon.
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