New Gundam Live-Action movie?

[Cherudim Arche]

I would probably want someone renown or at least recognize the name of Gundam to make it not look like crap. That also includes who ever plays the protagonist and antagonist as well.

[Dan the Man]

Originally Posted by Dynames/ Virtue

I don't think even Michael Bay can pull it off. Gundams are more complicated in every single way more than tranformers. If it follows similiar to CG approach, lets hope the graphics pixels are good such as Advent of Children.

Another thing is they need extremely well talented artist designing gundams before to pull this feat off.

There's no chance of Mickael Bay making a good Gundam movie. He'd probably do pretty well on the action side, but the characters would be terrible.

Originally Posted by Eidolon Sniper

Well, Michael Bay REDESIGNED the entire Transformers gang....

Yeah. The designs were entirely too complicated in my opinion, and he messed up a lot of characters, too. I hate the new Jazz, he went from a cool second-in-command into a bad token black stereotype.

Originally Posted by Dynames/ Virtue

At least the designs for seed are not complicated. Getting the other series on the other hand, will be more problematic though.

The designs for SEED are some of the most complicated I've seen, in my opinion. They have weapons all over the place, and things move and transform and flip around... just give me the 78.

Originally Posted by Eidolon Sniper

Somehow a Gundam movie being a product of Hollywood gives me shivers...*remembers Street Fighter II movie* X______________________x

I agree whole heartedly. That movie was a pure pile of crap. Then again... so was G-Saviour. Hollywood tried Gundam once, and failed miserably. If I had anything to say about it, they shouldn't be allowed to try again... Unless I were allowed to do it. Then I'd support it whole-heartedly.

[wavehawk]

Do note that the Transformers movie DID have ILM working on it, which is why the CG mecha were good. Not perfect, but until a better movie comes along, Transformers is the standard set for live-action mecha movies (that don't involve lumbering Battlemech-style tanks).

I think they should leave a Live-Action Gundam movie to an unknown writer and unknown director, but those who have talent and can work with the source material--not necessarily stick to it word for word, but know when they should keep stuff in and when to toss it out for new stuff. Lord, they've already done that a gajillion times with all the Gundam AltVerse anime.

A big-name director is just going to kill the movie, unless they pull it off well--hey, look at where the Peter Jackson Halo movie/whatever is going. No-name writer, no-name director, but lots of talent.

One more thing, though: Gundam just doesn't work in the Movie format, Live-Action or animated, because it needs lots of episodes of exposition. Char's Counterattack and Gundam Wing Endless Waltz worked because they had prior TV series, and the ones who watched them (And loved them) were fans. Watching this stuff cold would just not work. F91, for example (and mind you, I loved F91) just fell apart because 90 minutes is nowhere near long enough to give that epic War-Story Gundam feel.

And it's not just Gundam--do compare the Final Fantasy "Spirits Within" movie and the Advent Children short--AC worked because people watching it were fans, and the other movie just didn't bite well.

If a Live-Action Gundam is to be made, it's going to take one hell of a good director and a hell of a writer. IMHO (and only IMHO) the only way a Gundam movie could work is if you take the Gundam out of the equation; i.e. make it about GMs and Zakus et. al., a'la Black Hawk Down, instead of about the Gundam. Otherwise, it's just not going to work.

[Shinji103]

I don't see why everybody thinks Micha Bay sucks so bad? Transformers was a good movie, and its cash rake-in supports such. A friend of mine, who is horridly criticizing of this kind of thing, went to see the movie three times in theaters. This is a guy who I couldn't even get to laugh or even grin at the Lafina bunny costume scene in the final episode of SRW OG DW. >.>

While the Transformers CG may have been a little needlessly complex, it gave it a more modern feel to it. As for how well he'd do on characters, is there any way to get 50-episode-good character development into a 2-hour+ movie? I seriously doubt it.

[Dan the Man]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

I don't see why everybody thinks Micha Bay sucks so bad? Transformers was a good movie, and its cash rake-in supports such. A friend of mine, who is horridly criticizing of this kind of thing, went to see the movie three times in theaters. This is a guy who I couldn't even get to laugh or even grin at the Lafina bunny costume scene in the final episode of SRW OG DW. >.>

While the Transformers CG may have been a little needlessly complex, it gave it a more modern feel to it. As for how well he'd do on characters, is there any way to get 50-episode-good character development into a 2-hour+ movie? I seriously doubt it.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the Transformers movie. Not as much as the animated '86 one, but that's neither here nor there. Michael Bay just isn't that good of a director. With Transformers, he got a lucky break, but I never really enjoyed any of his other movies. The reason I wouldn't want him making Gundam is because Gundam is just as much about character development as it is about combat. In Transformers, Bay had so many characters put in throughout the entire film that only a handful of them had any development whatsoever, and the rest just kind of seemed to be there to move the story along. I just don't want to take that risk with Gundam.

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Dan the Man

In Transformers, Bay had so many characters put in throughout the entire film that only a handful of them had any development whatsoever, and the rest just kind of seemed to be there to move the story along. I just don't want to take that risk with Gundam.

That was, like, the intention. Transformers wasn't known for jaw-droping, awesome character development in the first place, so why make it known for it now?

[Dan the Man]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

That was, like, the intention. Transformers wasn't known for jaw-droping, awesome character development in the first place, so why make it known for it now?

Well, that's not my point. I was aruing against Bay because he didn't put any major character development in Transformers apart from the 2 main human characters, Bumblebee, and Optimus when your cast of characters is in the teens if not higher. With the exception of 0083, I wouldn't like that in Gundam. I love the action and mechs in Gundam, but it's realy pointless to me if only 2 or 3 characters in the entire story have any real dynamic development. Take Amuro, for example. He made a transition from a whiny, almost stuck up little brat into a seasoned veteran pilot, gaining maturity, responsibility, and is overall a stronger person from his experiences. I enjoy seeing that in any anime, as well as in my movies. All I was saying is that Bay usually isn't good at character development like that, which is why I wouldn't want him directing a Gundam movie.

Off topic - Also, Transformers had a great deal of character development. Hell, the G1 Ironhide had more to him than all of the movie Autobots combined...

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Dan the Man

Well, that's not my point. I was aruing against Bay because he didn't put any major character development in Transformers apart from the 2 main human characters, Bumblebee, and Optimus when your cast of characters is in the teens if not higher.

Actually, that is the point. You're saying Bay didn't put any character development in the Transformers movie, I'm saying he intentionally did so, but not because he's a bad director.

Take Amuro, for example. He made a transition from a whiny, almost stuck up little brat into a seasoned veteran pilot, gaining maturity, responsibility, and is overall a stronger person from his experiences. I enjoy seeing that in any anime, as well as in my movies. All I was saying is that Bay usually isn't good at character development like that, which is why I wouldn't want him directing a Gundam movie.

And here I say again that you're never going to see full-series-quality character development in a 2, 3, or even 4-hour movie. It just doesn't work. They tried it with Gundam F-91, and failed. So whatever Bay movies you're using for basis, don't apply in a comparison to a full-fledged TV series. It just can't really be done simply due to the massive difference in length. The Original Gundam was 989+ minutes in overall length. Way more than any movie. Even if you use the Gundam movie trilogy for reference, that's still three movies, which already had a full TV series of character development to base off of.

Off topic - Also, Transformers had a great deal of character development. Hell, the G1 Ironhide had more to him than all of the movie Autobots combined...

That's not character development. Character development is when you grow or change as a character, not just being an interesting character. You just gave an excellent example of character development, with how Amuro changed from a whiny pilot to a reponsible one. Character depth is what you're talking about here with Ironhide in G1. Character development would be if Ironhide had gone through experiences that changed him from the gutsy head-on guy he was to a more cautious character.

[ila-chan]

Well, at leastit does not sound as stupid as Dragon Ball Live Action...

[Dan the Man]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

Actually, that is the point. You're saying Bay didn't put any character development in the Transformers movie, I'm saying he intentionally did so, but not because he's a bad director.

And here I say again that you're never going to see full-series-quality character development in a 2, 3, or even 4-hour movie. It just doesn't work. They tried it with Gundam F-91, and failed. So whatever Bay movies you're using for basis, don't apply in a comparison to a full-fledged TV series. It just can't really be done simply due to the massive difference in length. The Original Gundam was 989+ minutes in overall length. Way more than any movie. Even if you use the Gundam movie trilogy for reference, that's still three movies, which already had a full TV series of character development to base off of.

That's not character development. Character development is when you grow or change as a character, not just being an interesting character. You just gave an excellent example of character development, with how Amuro changed from a whiny pilot to a reponsible one. Character depth is what you're talking about here with Ironhide in G1. Character development would be if Ironhide had gone through experiences that changed him from the gutsy head-on guy he was to a more cautious character.

Alright, you got me there. I still wouldn't want Bay taking on Gundam, though. It just doesn't seem like a series he'd be able to do justice to....

[patgarci]

Well to me in my opinion American television/film always SUCK in bringing in media from japan to the mass media in the west. One example of this is when I was in the US and was watching Gundam Seed and I was WTF the american version cut all the bloody sences or digitaly remove the blood and change the regular guns to DISCO guns!!

and in hearing that they are going to make a live action of dragonball Z it gave me the chills. Most anime turn live action movies always never turn out well, maybe because of lack of research of the show or they dont even approach the original creators or they did but fired them afterwards or the producers are trying to get as much people to see the movie and inturn get more money so thet try to make it very 1 dimentional. With most of them its all about the money and sometimes they dont care about the integrity of the story. Sometimes they dont approach it with a different angle. With G saviour (gladly i never saw it) from what I read it was typical american style "good guys beat bad guys" type film.

So if they really want to make a good Gundam Live action movie. They should do A LOT and i mean A LOT of research on all the series. Have the hole staff including the cast to watch all the series and yes that includes G saviour XD as well looking at fan reaction from forums and other media such as this one. Have them try to stay true to the gundam tradition and try to approach it from a different angle such as instead of one movie make it like a trilogy or not even base it on UC or past any universe but make a new alternate universe, put in a relatively unknown director that has actually have talent in and most importantly have the original creators of Gundam actually be part of the project .

BUT THEN I HIGHLY DOUBT THEY WILL MAKE IT THAT WAY!! -_-

[Zenemis]

The Live-Action DBZ movie is directed Stephen Chow.

That makes it automatically not-suck.

Would anyone object to casting Chris Rock as Lalah?

[kaito-kid]

Originally Posted by Zenemis

Would anyone object to casting Chris Rock as Lalah?

Objection!!
Lalah is a girl right? (And it looks like she is indian, not african american)

[Spitze]

Knowing American styles, a mech to them is a brick with bricks attached to it. Don't get your hopes up yet, what if they interpret Gundam ala Thunderbirds movie? (read: Spy Kids)

[Dan the Man]

Originally Posted by Zenemis

Would anyone object to casting Chris Rock as Lalah?

Uh... do you really have to ask? I mean, c'mon, you've got the character all wrong. Clearly Lalah is best played by Michael Clark Duncan.