Voltron Movie Finally Coming Together

Vegito728 · 08-19-2008, 12:05 PM

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Remember when everyone thought Cloverfield was a Voltron movie? Well back in August last year, Fox announced that they were moving forward with their own Voltron: Defender of the Universe film, putting that Cloverfield rumor to rest.

One year and we've finally got an update from Fox - they're dumping the project but Relativity Media has come to the rescue. That production company is still looking to develop the film, but with a more constrained budget that implements cost-effective technology like Zack Snyder used in 300. Apparently part of the problem was that it was troublesome for Fox to originally get the rights, but now it seems like it's ready to go with Justin Marks' screenplay still intact as well.

This update today comes from Variety and announces that Relativity Media will fund the project while Mark Gordon and Jordan Wynn will produce. Relativity will in turn still shop the project around to potential distributors. Justin Marks' version of the story is described as a post-apocalyptic tale set in New York City and Mexico, where five survivors of an alien attack band together and end up piloting the five lion-shaped robots that combine and form the massive sword-wielding Voltron that helps battle Earth's invaders.

The producers are still finalizing a director and are expected to make an announcement in the next month. This should be exciting news for Voltron fans, especially considering Marks' script is apparently top notch.
We also missed a recent script review from Josh Tyler of Cinema Blend. Although El Mayimbe of Latino Review reviewed the script last June, calling it his "favorite f**king script of the year so far", Josh only recently got an opportunity to check it out as well.

"Justin Marks has written a well put together, well intentioned, incredibly faithful Voltron script using modern sensibilities. But it's still a Voltron script. Even with the recent popularity of giant freakin robots, this movie may be twenty years too late. Or maybe it'll work as a big, post-apocalyptic Escape from New York meets Power Rangers blockbuster." As odd of a reference as that is, it does actually make sense and I hope that's what we get in the end.

For those who missed out on Voltron as a kid, it was a Japanese animated TV series that first debuted in America in 1984. It has a popular fan following just like Transformers even though most of the fans have all grown up and don't watch the show on a regular basis anymore (as far as I know).

Personally, I think the concept is a bit goofy, as Josh mentioned in his script review, but with the right effort and right creative team, it could potentially be pretty exciting. I'm just worried that the budget is going to be cut down too much and it'll feel like a much smaller, compact film when it needs to be epic. I really hope Relativity Media knows what they're doing with this franchise!

Source: Voltron Movie Finally Coming Together With a Smaller Budget « FirstShowing.net

So who's excited for the return of Voltron?

micfranklin · 08-19-2008, 12:08 PM

Maybe it'll actually be good like Transformers was.

ysabel · 08-19-2008, 12:13 PM

My age is showing. I watched Voltron (like Transformers) when I was a kid. Voltron....Defender of the Universe.

I hope they make a good movie like they did with Transformers.

DaStevez · 08-19-2008, 12:49 PM

I'm worried about the small budget for the film. A live action Voltron would need tons of special effects and CGI.