A Director

[AzathothXy]

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/rorschachsrants/news/?a=73190

For those not familiar with Robotech...just read the Pacific Rim synopsis! But seriously, this anime paved the way (unless I'm mistaken?) for the whole giant robot VS Alien malarkey that seems to be such a big trend in Hollywood right now. The movie has actually been in development at Warner Bros. since 2007, and has seen a host of writers come and go, but this is the first time a director has officially been signed. Akiva Goldsman and Tobey Maguire will produce along with Matthew Plouffe, Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell. This will mark Nic Mathieu's - a commercial director - first movie gig, but he is also attached to direct The Wind, a David Keopp-written sci-fi project that WB picked up on the strength of his presentation. It looks like we're in for a lot of metal-V-alien carnage over the next couple of years. You game?

[Seto Kaiba]

Oh joy... a movie that's been in development hell since day one has now successfully plummeted so far that the only people willing to touch it are writers and directors who have absolutely no experience in the genre or cinema in general! We can add a director who is totally without experience in cinema or the SF/action genre to the story treatment by the small-time mystery novelist writer who also had zero experience with cinema or the SF/action genre!

It's like Warner Bros is trying to draw a line under just how lousy Robotech's prospects are. After the third-string director who gave the world Stomp the Yard turned down the director job for Robotech years ago, the best director they can dredge up is someone who's never worked in the industry before and is already giving priority to a different project? This, after they've already had their executive producer assign himself to every other title he can think of to avoid touching Robotech, and they've whiffed their way through the few talented writers willing to work with them and ended up with a guy who's only ever written Cold War-era murder mystery novels set in the Soviet Union?

Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I want the RT:SC sequal more then a L-A movie.

[Arnie100]

I want the RT:SC sequal more then a L-A movie.

No kidding.

[Robroy]

I want the RT:SC sequal more then a L-A movie.

I am with you there.

[MikeM]

Not I. I found Shadow Chronicles was a disappointment. I found the story was weak and the CGI portions where horrible.
If they are going to make a sequel I hope its better than their first attempt.
A GOOD live action movie is what Robotech needs to get interest in the property going again.
Even if we got a bad Robotech movie, would it really matter? Nothing new is coming out for Robotech now except for the stuff Palladium releases and a few odds and ends from Robotech.com like a 2013 calendar. None of this is going to set the world on fire. Hell, it won't even make it lukewarm. A live action movie is our best shot.

[MikeM]

Oh and just for the record, I own Shadow Chronicles and everything that comes out for Robotech. I love the property! I just want it to be hugely popular again. I'm willing to get the new director a shot is all I'm saying. Mind you, it took 5 years to get this guy as a director. In another 5 we may start getting some casting info.

[Seto Kaiba]

If they are going to make a sequel I hope its better than their first attempt.

That is the reason Harmony Gold has given for placing RTSC Part II on hiatus... they're waiting until they can scrounge up an actual budget so it won't look like complete arse.

A GOOD live action movie is what Robotech needs to get interest in the property going again.

But, with this astonishing no-star crew they're assembling, what we're guaranteed to get is a BAD live-action movie. What hasn't been determined yet is whether it'll be Starship Troopers 3 bad (so bad it's awful), or G-Saviour bad (that legendary level where the studio and property owner pretend it was never made).

Even if we got a bad Robotech movie, would it really matter?

Kinda? The way Harmony Gold has set things up, RTSC Part II is riding on the success or failure of the LAM, so if it turns out to be terrible (a virtually guaranteed outcome) it'll not only make Robotech a world-wide laughingstock (instead of the anime industry specific laughingstock it currently is), it'll kill RTSC and any hope for continuing the animated RT story. Essentially, if it's a turd it could conceivably kill Robotech altogether.

[Robroy]

Don't get me wrong, if they make a LA movie I will go see it and unless they screw up the characters like they did in Batman, I will buy the blue ray. I watched Robotech back in the 80's and think the series would better be served with a good animated movie.

[taalismn]

Not I. I found Shadow Chronicles was a disappointment. I found the story was weak and the CGI portions where horrible.
If they are going to make a sequel I hope its better than their first attempt.
A GOOD live action movie is what Robotech needs to get interest in the property going again.
Even if we got a bad Robotech movie, would it really matter? Nothing new is coming out for Robotech now except for the stuff Palladium releases and a few odds and ends from Robotech.com like a 2013 calendar. None of this is going to set the world on fire. Hell, it won't even make it lukewarm. A live action movie is our best shot.

S'right. I found Star Trek: The Movie to be bland and disappointing. Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan on the other hand was much more entertaining. Sometimes the second movie can actually be better than the first because those involved are finally hitting their stride and learn from the mistakes of the first. Of course, then you have to get past 'Strike 3', the third movie slump where the franchise owners take it for granted that the fanbase will eat what tripe gets dished up for the third installment. And it helps if you have a franchise that's popular enough that after the fizzle of the first movie project, people are still willing to throw backing for a sequel.

[Alpha 11]

A GOOD live action movie is what Robotech needs to get interest in the property going again.

But, with this astonishing no-star crew they're assembling, what we're guaranteed to get is a BAD live-action movie. What hasn't been determined yet is whether it'll be Starship Troopers 3 bad (so bad it's awful), or G-Saviour bad (that legendary level where the studio and property owner pretend it was never made).

I liked G-Saviour. Did it blow me away, no, but I did like it.

Oh and just for the record, I own Shadow Chronicles and everything that comes out for Robotech. I love the property! I just want it to be hugely popular again. I'm willing to get the new director a shot is all I'm saying. Mind you, it took 5 years to get this guy as a director. In another 5 we may start getting some casting info.

Same here. If we are lucky, he is a dieman in the ruff. I will most likely do the same as you.

[Arnie100]

I'm having bad visions of Speed Racer (with Leonard DiCaprio) and Dragonball: Evolution.

[MilkManX]

I want the RT:SC sequal more then a L-A movie.

Me too.

I was not very happy with RT:SC but to leave us hanging again wants me to see this storyline go somewhere!

[Seto Kaiba]

I liked G-Saviour. Did it blow me away, no, but I did like it.

Isn't that generally considered one of the few objective ways of determining if someone has bad taste? G-Saviour was such a massive fiasco that Bandai/Sunrise often pretend it doesn't exist. You have to fail pretty freaking epically for such a highly-visible title made for your franchise's 20th Anniversary to be shunned by the creator and summarily disowned from the entire universe it's set in.

I'm having bad visions of Speed Racer (with Leonard DiCaprio) and Dragonball: Evolution.

Those were bad ideas with serious bank and skilled professionals behind them, the Robotech LAM has neither of those things... we're headed for Star Wars Holiday Special territory.

[Alpha 11]

I liked G-Saviour. Did it blow me away, no, but I did like it.

Isn't that generally considered one of the few objective ways of determining if someone has bad taste? G-Saviour was such a massive fiasco that Bandai/Sunrise often pretend it doesn't exist. You have to fail pretty freaking epically for such a highly-visible title made for your franchise's 20th Anniversary to be shunned by the creator and summarily disowned from the entire universe it's set in.

I'm having bad visions of Speed Racer (with Leonard DiCaprio) and Dragonball: Evolution.

Those were bad ideas with serious bank and skilled professionals behind them, the Robotech LAM has neither of those things... we're headed for Star Wars Holiday Special territory.

I've liked every Gundam I've ever seen, to one degree or another. Infact, there has been very few things in general, that I've seen that I just couldn't stand. One was, if I remember right, call Tank Girl(?)(been a LLLONNNNGGG time since I've seen it). Everytime the main girl come on screen, I felt my IQ dropping. I guess I'm just easily entertained. Does that make me weird?

As for the other 2, seen VERY little of the original Speed Racer, and didn't see the hole movie (though I believe I saw most of it), but what I did see of it, was again, ok. DB: Evoluion was again, ok. Did not hate it. Though I wised they'd stayed a little more close to the origanal story line.

[Arnie100]

As for the other 2, seen VERY little of the original Speed Racer, and didn't see the hole movie (though I believe I saw most of it), but what I did see of it, was again, ok. DB: Evoluion was again, ok. Did not hate it. Though I wised they'd stayed a little more close to the origanal story line.

And they tanked at the box office.

[Seto Kaiba]

I've liked every Gundam I've ever seen, to one degree or another. Infact, there has been very few things in general, that I've seen that I just couldn't stand.

That, I think, marks you out as a much more forgiving and charitable viewer than average. Most folks found G-Saviour somewhere between "painfully bad" and "can't I just sandpaper my eyes and say I watched it?" bad. I think, with the staff they've assembled and the way they're generally avoiding working on it, that the Robotech live-action movie is readily headed for that sacred territory of suck occupied by cinematic war crimes like G-Saviour, Starship Troopers, the Star Wars Holiday Special, and Robot Jox.

With the lack of support the movie's already seeing, it'll probably end up either in perpetual development hell or rushed out with a shoestring budget as a direct-to-video feature. For all the noise that's being made about it by Harmony Gold's volunteer moderators, Robotech doesn't have the name recognition to be fast-tracked as a big-budget picture, and the accompanying legal problems of trying to adapt the Macross Saga mean there's a great big list of "You can't do that!" that rather ties their hands and makes even bothering an unappealing prospect.

[Alpha 11]

As for the other 2, seen VERY little of the original Speed Racer, and didn't see the hole movie (though I believe I saw most of it), but what I did see of it, was again, ok. DB: Evoluion was again, ok. Did not hate it. Though I wised they'd stayed a little more close to the origanal story line.

And they tanked at the box office.

And what's that got to do with anything? I'm just giving my point of view from how I saw of them. I'm sure you've seen some movies that a lot of people hate but you enjoy yourself.

I've liked every Gundam I've ever seen, to one degree or another. Infact, there has been very few things in general, that I've seen that I just couldn't stand.

That, I think, marks you out as a much more forgiving and charitable viewer than average. Most folks found G-Saviour somewhere between "painfully bad" and "can't I just sandpaper my eyes and say I watched it?" bad. I think, with the staff they've assembled and the way they're generally avoiding working on it, that the Robotech live-action movie is readily headed for that sacred territory of suck occupied by cinematic war crimes like G-Saviour, Starship Troopers, the Star Wars Holiday Special, and Robot Jox.

With the lack of support the movie's already seeing, it'll probably end up either in perpetual development hell or rushed out with a shoestring budget as a direct-to-video feature. For all the noise that's being made about it by Harmony Gold's volunteer moderators, Robotech doesn't have the name recognition to be fast-tracked as a big-budget picture, and the accompanying legal problems of trying to adapt the Macross Saga mean there's a great big list of "You can't do that!" that rather ties their hands and makes even bothering an unappealing prospect.

I like that. That makes me, like close to one of a kind then. As for the last part, I guesse we can only pray now that they get a desent buget to do the movie and they don't rush it. In fact, they'll need the money, because it will be heavy in specail effects. It has to be. And as I said before about the director, just pray he's a diamend in the ruff.

[Seto Kaiba]

And what's that got to do with anything?

Well, in the context of this thread it has everything to do with... well... everything. Warner Bros ain't in this business to lose money, and if they stop for a second and example the trend that every live-action movie based on anime has been an appalling train wreck that absolutely hemorrhaged money, they won't bother funding a live-action Robotech... and that, in turn, means that Harmony Gold won't be able to use the hype from the live-action movie to bankroll RTSC Part II's production, effectively spelling doom for the further continuation of the animated series and Robotech as a whole.

For the record, Speed Racer had a budget of $120 million and earned only ~$94 million at the box office... a loss of over $26 million. Dragonball Evolution reportedly had a budget just shy of $100 million, and only earned about $57 million, finishing about $42 million in the hole. G-Saviour reportedly made back its budget and then some, but its budget was vanishingly small that it can't be called an achievement... especially not as part of a franchise which routinely sells a quarter-million copies of each new title without blinking.

I like that. That makes me, like close to one of a kind then.

I'm pretty sure that what that makes you is a masochist.

As for the last part, I guesse we can only pray now that they get a desent buget to do the movie and they don't rush it. In fact, they'll need the money, because it will be heavy in specail effects. It has to be. And as I said before about the director, just pray he's a diamend in the ruff.

That's the thing... if we examine the direction they've taken so far, the budget ship has clearly already sailed without the Robotech movie aboard. I mean, it's such an obscure and doomed prospect that the virtual nobody behind Stomp the Yard (Sylvain White) turned them down, and the only person they could get was an ACTUAL nobody who's had no experience directing anything except commercials. Their first story treatment came from Lawrence Kasdan, a serious top flight writer, but the project's death spiral has gone through several more story treatments, each by a progressively less qualified writer, until we finally reached Tom Rob Smith, a man who has never written SF or action, and whose only minor connection to real cinematic writing is that he lives with someone who works for the BBC.

If they're going to do it and do it right, they're going to need a massive budget... to the tune of about $175 million, and if they can't even attract the attention of someone who has an established career in the field, they're probably looking at a budget of about 1/10th that, maybe less. It's very likely that the movie will be stuck in development hell forever, since it would be based on material that Harmony Gold's completely own, meaning Warner would be stuck looking over its shoulder for Big West's legal staff all during production.

Budget estimate approximated using a rough mean of the budgets of the first three Transformers movies by Michael Bay. A budget of $17.5 million (1/10th the estimated necessary budget) would be fair to middling for a direct-to-video action movie.

[Alpha 11]

And what's that got to do with anything?

Well, in the context of this thread it has everything to do with... well... everything. Warner Bros ain't in this business to lose money, and if they stop for a second and example the trend that every live-action movie based on anime has been an appalling train wreck that absolutely hemorrhaged money, they won't bother funding a live-action Robotech... and that, in turn, means that Harmony Gold won't be able to use the hype from the live-action movie to bankroll RTSC Part II's production, effectively spelling doom for the further continuation of the animated series and Robotech as a whole.

For the record, Speed Racer had a budget of $120 million and earned only ~$94 million at the box office... a loss of over $26 million. Dragonball Evolution reportedly had a budget just shy of $100 million, and only earned about $57 million, finishing about $42 million in the hole. G-Saviour reportedly made back its budget and then some, but its budget was vanishingly small that it can't be called an achievement... especially not as part of a franchise which routinely sells a quarter-million copies of each new title without blinking.

Sorry, misunderstood what you were saying. Yes that does matter and I see your point. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

I like that. That makes me, like close to one of a kind then.

I'm pretty sure that what that makes you is a masochist.

And no, I'm not a masochist. I'm not filled with painful pleasure when I watch them. I just watch them and be entertaind.

As for the last part, any ideal what happen to the first writter? They appently got him to start writting the script. And also the director, any ideal why they left? As for the buget, they MIGHT be able to do it with less. Halo: Forward until Dawn was done the with, I forget 1 or 10 million. Most likely 10 mil. Though I could be wrong. So they MIGHT be able to pull something off at 50 to 75 mil. I guess I'm just tring to think possitive. I'll be happy, if it dones happen, that is halfway desent. Though if it dones look like it's going to be this bad, maybe they should to concintrate on the next SC movie.

[Arnie100]

It's very likely that the movie will be stuck in development hell forever, since it would be based on material that Harmony Gold's completely own, meaning Warner would be stuck looking over its shoulder for Big West's legal staff all during production.

That's another problem I see. Harmony Gold does a movie based on Macross, here come the lawsuits.

[Seto Kaiba]

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

But would you just as soon kiss a Wookiee?

As for the last part, any ideal what happen to the first writter? They appently got him to start writting the script. And also the director, any ideal why they left?

Contrary to the way Harmony Gold has been presenting it, the movie doesn't have a writer yet... as far as we know. The work done by Lawrence Kasdan et. al. is the story treatment, basically a semi-detailed outline of the movie upon which a script can be built. The writer of the story treatment doesn't generally stick around unless the producers bring him on to further develop his story treatment into a working script. They just hand in their work, collect their fee, and are on their way. The current mook who seems to be attached to write for Robotech is Tom Rob Smith, the mystery writer who has never worked in movies before. I guess Warner didn't like Kasdan's story treatment, or he was too expensive for the project's potentially very limited budget.

The Robotech live-action movie has only ever had one director attached, the nobody mentioned in the topic post at the start of the thread. Sylvain White, the laughable director of Stomp the Yard, was offered the chance to direct Robotech's live-action movie and he turned it down, which is probably why they've had to go with an actual nobody instead of just a virtual nobody.

As for the buget, they MIGHT be able to do it with less. Halo: Forward until Dawn was done the with, I forget 1 or 10 million. Most likely 10 mil. Though I could be wrong.

I haven't seen budget figures for that one, but that was done as a collection of 15-minute YouTube shorts before it was collected and assembled into a "movie". That's about 30 minutes or so short of a feature film (IIRC the finished DVD was 90min), and its quality wasn't really much to write home about. With a budget that small, it would definitely end up as a direct-to-video title rather than seeing a theatrical release.

EDIT: The estimated budget figure I've found for that Halo "movie" is $8.5 million, which is around what you'd expect from a direct-to-video action flick. Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation was made for a similarly small amount, which explains why it also looks like arse.

[Alpha 11]

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

But would you just as soon kiss a Wookiee?

Aaaaahhhh..., no.

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

[Arnie100]

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

But would you just as soon kiss a Wookiee?

Aaaaahhhh..., no.

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

Do you know how much the VFX is going to cost by ITSELF? Trying to get the mecha ALONE to look right will be EXPENSIVE.

[Alpha 11]

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

But would you just as soon kiss a Wookiee?

Aaaaahhhh..., no.

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

Do you know how much the VFX is going to cost by ITSELF? Trying to get the mecha ALONE to look right will be EXPENSIVE.

Just look at they guys down in South America doing it for free. Well they aren't being paid to do it. If they can do it, imagine what can be done with the anount I gave. Just saying, it might be possible for a buget under a 100 mil.

[Arnie100]

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

But would you just as soon kiss a Wookiee?

Aaaaahhhh..., no.

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

Do you know how much the VFX is going to cost by ITSELF? Trying to get the mecha ALONE to look right will be EXPENSIVE.

Just look at they guys down in South America doing it for free. Well they aren't being paid to do it. If they can do it, imagine what can be done with the anount I gave. Just saying, it might be possible for a buget under a 100 mil.

If that's the budget you're looking for, it'll end up being a straight-to-dvd-release. And that's where it's probably heading.

[Seto Kaiba]

at least we got real power suits in the third one...sort of...

But the award for the film adaptation that got the closest to the content of the original is still Studio Nue's 1987 OVA.

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

Eh... to be fair, there was like zero development work that needed to be done for Forward Unto Dawn, because all the actual design work had been done beforehand. All they needed to do was hire a couple Z-list actors or find a bunch of big fans who'd work for peanuts, and make the props. Because Harmony Gold doesn't own the content of their Robotech series, not only does Warner Bros have to come up with a new story, they basically have to redesign EVERYTHING. All the iconic stuff from the Macross Saga, like the VF-1, the Destroids, the SDF-1 Macross herself, the Zentradi ships and mecha, even the basic character designs and insignia... all of that is off the table for copyright reasons. It's going to be a very expensive project, because they basically have to reinvent the Macross Saga from scratch to avoid being sued for a flagrant and massive breach of copyright law.

Do you know how much the VFX is going to cost by ITSELF? Trying to get the mecha ALONE to look right will be EXPENSIVE.

Not to mention the development cost for having to reinvent the proverbial wheel for EVERY aspect of the visuals, to avoid the copyright problem mentioned above. That will be downright RUINOUS.

Just look at they guys down in South America doing it for free. Well they aren't being paid to do it. If they can do it, imagine what can be done with the anount I gave. Just saying, it might be possible for a buget under a 100 mil.

The "guys in South America" aren't an option, because what they're doing is using pre-made CG models or actual toys from the Robotech or Macross toy lines to film their fan-film. Technically, they're violating copyright law too, but the film is just fan-works and for private, not-for-profit enjoyment, so they're unlikely to see legal action (from Macross's owners). That's not an option for the live-action movie, because all of that stuff is copyrighted and those copyrights are owned by the Japanese companies who created Macross (Studio Nue and their sponsor Big West). Just as it can be ruinously expensive to do big-budget CG, having to totally reinvent everything in the Macross Saga to get around the fact that they can't legally use the existing designs is going to be damnably expensive.

If that's the budget you're looking for, it'll end up being a straight-to-dvd-release. And that's where it's probably heading.

Where I think it's heading... I won't say, but you'll probably hear a flushing noise.

[Alpha 11]

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

Eh... to be fair, there was like zero development work that needed to be done for Forward Unto Dawn, because all the actual design work had been done beforehand. All they needed to do was hire a couple Z-list actors or find a bunch of big fans who'd work for peanuts, and make the props. Because Harmony Gold doesn't own the content of their Robotech series, not only does Warner Bros have to come up with a new story, they basically have to redesign EVERYTHING. All the iconic stuff from the Macross Saga, like the VF-1, the Destroids, the SDF-1 Macross herself, the Zentradi ships and mecha, even the basic character designs and insignia... all of that is off the table for copyright reasons. It's going to be a very expensive project, because they basically have to reinvent the Macross Saga from scratch to avoid being sued for a flagrant and massive breach of copyright law.

IF what you're saying is true, we are doom. They might as well just drop it and to work on the SC sequal.

[Arnie100]

And as for the Halo movie, I just surprised at how little was put into it, money wise, for the way it turned out, which was preaty good, IMO. And that IF the Halo movie could do it, then maybe the Robotech movie could do it also. Instead of the 175 mil. that you gave, then maybe 50 to 75 mil.

Eh... to be fair, there was like zero development work that needed to be done for Forward Unto Dawn, because all the actual design work had been done beforehand. All they needed to do was hire a couple Z-list actors or find a bunch of big fans who'd work for peanuts, and make the props. Because Harmony Gold doesn't own the content of their Robotech series, not only does Warner Bros have to come up with a new story, they basically have to redesign EVERYTHING. All the iconic stuff from the Macross Saga, like the VF-1, the Destroids, the SDF-1 Macross herself, the Zentradi ships and mecha, even the basic character designs and insignia... all of that is off the table for copyright reasons. It's going to be a very expensive project, because they basically have to reinvent the Macross Saga from scratch to avoid being sued for a flagrant and massive breach of copyright law.

IF what you're saying is true, we are doom. They might as well just drop it and to work on the SC sequal.

Unfortunately, it IS true. The problem with the SC sequel is that Harmony Gold was hoping for hype from the movie to generate revenue for the project, IIRC.

[Seto Kaiba]

IF what you're saying is true, we are doom. They might as well just drop it and to work on the SC sequal.

It is, I can cite legal precedent at nauseating length if you'd really like to know precisely why that material is off the table, though that it is shouldn't really be a surprise since Carl Macek flat-out admitted as much waaaay back at Robocon 10.

[Alpha 11]

IF what you're saying is true, we are doom. They might as well just drop it and to work on the SC sequal.

It is, I can cite legal precedent at nauseating length if you'd really like to know precisely why that material is off the table, though that it is shouldn't really be a surprise since Carl Macek flat-out admitted as much waaaay back at Robocon 10.

Then way are they wasting their time on it???!!!!!?????

[Seto Kaiba]

IF what you're saying is true, we are doom. They might as well just drop it and to work on the SC sequal.

It is, I can cite legal precedent at nauseating length if you'd really like to know precisely why that material is off the table, though that it is shouldn't really be a surprise since Carl Macek flat-out admitted as much waaaay back at Robocon 10.

Then way are they wasting their time on it???!!!!!?????

That's a good question... one that's frequently extended to not just the live-action movie, but Robotech as a whole in light of 27 years (and counting) of continual failures to get the ball rolling again.

As far as why they're even bothering with the proposal to make a Robotech live-action movie, it's looking like Warner's decision to buy the rights was a simple precautionary measure while they mulled over whether or not they wanted to try to compete with Paramount's Transformers. This sort of thing happens a lot, with studios buying rights to various stories similar to those of a popular title with no actual intent to make a movie, as a "just in case" measure. Contrary to what the volunteer mods on Robotech.com preach, it doesn't look like the management at Warner Bros thinks Robotech is going to be a hit at the box office, so they're quietly burying it.

On the other hand, it's much easier to see what Harmony Gold is hoping to get out of a potential live-action movie. They get to take a hands-off approach and play it safe while someone else with more money shoulders all the actual risks, and the result they're clearly hoping for is that they'll make megabucks in royalties if the movie's a hit, and Warner Bros would accomplish what neither Carl Macek nor Tommy Yune ever could... making Robotech popular and mainstream. They might even be hoping that Warner Bros will be confident enough in the movie's prospects that they'll want to buy RT, and Harmony Gold can flip that dead-weight property for some obscene sum.

[Alpha 11]

IF what you're saying is true, we are doom. They might as well just drop it and to work on the SC sequal.

It is, I can cite legal precedent at nauseating length if you'd really like to know precisely why that material is off the table, though that it is shouldn't really be a surprise since Carl Macek flat-out admitted as much waaaay back at Robocon 10.

Then way are they wasting their time on it???!!!!!?????

That's a good question... one that's frequently extended to not just the live-action movie, but Robotech as a whole in light of 27 years (and counting) of continual failures to get the ball rolling again.

As far as why they're even bothering with the proposal to make a Robotech live-action movie, it's looking like Warner's decision to buy the rights was a simple precautionary measure while they mulled over whether or not they wanted to try to compete with Paramount's Transformers. This sort of thing happens a lot, with studios buying rights to various stories similar to those of a popular title with no actual intent to make a movie, as a "just in case" measure. Contrary to what the volunteer mods on Robotech.com preach, it doesn't look like the management at Warner Bros thinks Robotech is going to be a hit at the box office, so they're quietly burying it.

On the other hand, it's much easier to see what Harmony Gold is hoping to get out of a potential live-action movie. They get to take a hands-off approach and play it safe while someone else with more money shoulders all the actual risks, and the result they're clearly hoping for is that they'll make megabucks in royalties if the movie's a hit, and Warner Bros would accomplish what neither Carl Macek nor Tommy Yune ever could... making Robotech popular and mainstream. They might even be hoping that Warner Bros will be confident enough in the movie's prospects that they'll want to buy RT, and Harmony Gold can flip that dead-weight property for some obscene sum.

If what you said was true, then I bet the "new" film they are coming out with is just to plasid the fans becuase VERY little has been done, and movie is going noware. No matter what, I will be buying it, because it is Robotech. I just pray it is half way desent. But then after that what? I seriously dought that will keep the fans happy for long. And if it is a bust, they are going to have a LOT of angree people out there.

[Seto Kaiba]

If what you said was true, then I bet the "new" film they are coming out with is just to plasid the fans becuase VERY little has been done, and movie is going noware.

Lots of folks have said exactly that, that the Robotech: Love Live Alive OVA was made as a smokescreen to distract the fans from the lack of any progress on the live-action movie and its parasitic twin Shadow Rising. It's being thrown together on the cheap, and they're apparently SO insecure about it they felt the need to include the unedited original MOSPEADA: Love Live Alive on the disc too in the hopes of attracting fans of the OSM.

No matter what, I will be buying it, because it is Robotech. I just pray it is half way desent.

Having seen the new footage in it, it's gonna be kind of rubbish... RT the movie all over again, with two wildly different animation styles and video quality levels. The original GCM:LLA is good stuff tho, so you won't be getting totally screwed.

But then after that what? I seriously dought that will keep the fans happy for long. And if it is a bust, they are going to have a LOT of angree people out there.

I dunno, most of you guys are used to a wait of 10+ years for the next big thing for RT... I expect it'll placate the faithful long enough for them to either decide the LAM isn't happening and rush out RTSR, or for them to bail on RT entirely. Maybe we'll get some new comics instead?

[Alpha 11]

But then after that what? I seriously dought that will keep the fans happy for long. And if it is a bust, they are going to have a LOT of angree people out there.

I dunno, most of you guys are used to a wait of 10+ years for the next big thing for RT... I expect it'll placate the faithful long enough for them to either decide the LAM isn't happening and rush out RTSR, or for them to bail on RT entirely. Maybe we'll get some new comics instead?[/quote]

I would take a complete redo of the series in comic form. With everthing done with uptodate styles and tech interpitations. Like maybe little things like ceel phones added in.

[Seto Kaiba]

I would take a complete redo of the series in comic form. With everthing done with uptodate styles and tech interpitations. Like maybe little things like ceel phones added in.

So... basically, something almost exactly like Macross the First or Mobile Suit Gundam: the Origin then? That would be a pretty big project for Harmony Gold, one that might be too big for them to consider safe since they usually can only count on selling just a few thousand copies in direct sales. I don't know how well that'd be received by most fans, as there's been almost a reflexive tendency to scream "sacrilege!" over changes to the series since the reboot in '01.

Both the Japanese Macross and Gundam franchises have revisited their respective original series in comic book (manga) form and had a decent amount of success. Gundam's finished at 23 volumes and is being tapped for a new animated series in 2014, and Macross's is still ongoing in Newtype Ace magazine.

[Alpha 11]

I would take a complete redo of the series in comic form. With everthing done with uptodate styles and tech interpitations. Like maybe little things like ceel phones added in.

So... basically, something almost exactly like Macross the First or Mobile Suit Gundam: the Origin then? That would be a pretty big project for Harmony Gold, one that might be too big for them to consider safe since they usually can only count on selling just a few thousand copies in direct sales. I don't know how well that'd be received by most fans, as there's been almost a reflexive tendency to scream "sacrilege!" over changes to the series since the reboot in '01.

Both the Japanese Macross and Gundam franchises have revisited their respective original series in comic book (manga) form and had a decent amount of success. Gundam's finished at 23 volumes and is being tapped for a new animated series in 2014, and Macross's is still ongoing in Newtype Ace magazine.

Ya, something like that. Look it up. Not bad at all. Though maybe more close to how it happen in the original series.

[Seto Kaiba]

Ya, something like that. Look it up. Not bad at all. Though maybe more close to how it happen in the original series.

I rather like Macross the First, though in terms of content it's a middle ground between DYRL and the original series... rather like Sukehiro Tomita's novelization of DYRL. There are a lot of fans hoping MtF will get animated the way Gundam: the Origin is, though I'm not sure it'll happen since Hikaru's original VA is dead.

[Seto Kaiba]

Can't they just get a whole new cast of up and comers instead? Does it have to be the originals?

I am not saying go pick people off the street corner, but there are quite a few voice actors in Japan that would love an attempt at this, enough that you could pick for talent instead of desperation, right?

Because we Macross fans do get nostalgic too, y'know... and quite a few of those original voice actors have become icons of the industry. Max just wouldn't be the same without Sho Hayami's deep voice behind him, and as Minmay's music was pretty much all written for Mari Iijima it would make sense to have her on board again. There've been a few VAs hired for video games (like the pending game Macross 30) that do a credible Hikaru...

[Alpha 11]

Ya, something like that. Look it up. Not bad at all. Though maybe more close to how it happen in the original series.

I rather like Macross the First, though in terms of content it's a middle ground between DYRL and the original series... rather like Sukehiro Tomita's novelization of DYRL. There are a lot of fans hoping MtF will get animated the way Gundam: the Origin is, though I'm not sure it'll happen since Hikaru's original VA is dead.

Frankly, I'm so despreat for new Robotech, I'll take almost anything at this time. Well I'm going to be looking forward to the Gundam series. I do hope they also do Macross the First also. Though with it being so popular, Macross in general, I would not be surprise if we not see it in a few years.

[Trooper Jim]

I want the RT:SC sequal more then a L-A movie.

No kidding.

Agreed!

[Seto Kaiba]

Frankly, I'm so desperate for new Robotech, I'll take almost anything at this time.

Honestly, an attitude like that is probably the worst possible thing the fans can do for Robotech.

If the fans are willing, nay, desperate to settle for any old garbage Harmony Gold kicks out the door so long as "Robotech" is written on the cover, then Robotech is never going to produce anything quality and will just continue that accelerating death spiral it's in.

[Alpha 11]

Frankly, I'm so desperate for new Robotech, I'll take almost anything at this time.

Honestly, an attitude like that is probably the worst possible thing the fans can do for Robotech.

If the fans are willing, nay, desperate to settle for any old garbage Harmony Gold kicks out the door so long as "Robotech" is written on the cover, then Robotech is never going to produce anything quality and will just continue that accelerating death spiral it's in.

I'm not that desperate. I'm just saying, I wish they would do something at least halfway good soon. I would be happy if they said they started working on the sequal of SC tommarrow, even if I had to wait 5 or more years to see it.

[Seto Kaiba]

I'm not that desperate. I'm just saying, I wish they would do something at least halfway good soon. I would be happy if they said they started working on the sequal of SC tommarrow, even if I had to wait 5 or more years to see it.

Eh... if you're willing to settle for something less than quality, it's still hurting Robotech in the long run. Unless they feel they have to knuckle down and actually put out something professional-grade, Harmony Gold is just going to continue driving Robotech down through its death spiral. What they NEED is encouragement to get their act together, which would only be when fans finally stop snapping up whatever feeble re-release they throw out the door and insist on something that looks like it could actually appeal to someone who hasn't been following the franchise for 30 years.

[Alpha 11]

I'm not that desperate. I'm just saying, I wish they would do something at least halfway good soon. I would be happy if they said they started working on the sequal of SC tommarrow, even if I had to wait 5 or more years to see it.

Eh... if you're willing to settle for something less than quality, it's still hurting Robotech in the long run. Unless they feel they have to knuckle down and actually put out something professional-grade, Harmony Gold is just going to continue driving Robotech down through its death spiral. What they NEED is encouragement to get their act together, which would only be when fans finally stop snapping up whatever feeble re-release they throw out the door and insist on something that looks like it could actually appeal to someone who hasn't been following the franchise for 30 years.

Your right. I'm just getting a little frustrated. If they don't do something soon that is better then average, it could, no, it will get bad for them.

[Protoculture]

I want the RT:SC sequal more then a L-A movie.

No kidding.

Yes, what Arnie been saying is a damn more plausible than investing a whole lot of money into a 'blackhole' of RT: LA Movie.

[Protoculture]

Isn't that generally considered one of the few objective ways of determining if someone has bad taste? G-Saviour was such a massive fiasco that Bandai/Sunrise often pretend it doesn't exist. You have to fail pretty freaking epically for such a highly-visible title made for your franchise's 20th Anniversary to be shunned by the creator and summarily disowned from the entire universe it's set in.

G-Saviour .... bloody hell, I atleast bought two DVDs (one in its original English tracks & the other with Japanese dub) & nearly traumatised .... Dammit, watching G Gundam was wayyyyy better than G-Saviour ....

Those were bad ideas with serious bank and skilled professionals behind them, the Robotech LAM has neither of those things... we're headed for Star Wars Holiday Special territory.

WB better saved those money for financing a continuation of current RT-verse via animation.

[Protoculture]

Oh joy... a movie that's been in development hell since day one has now successfully plummeted so far that the only people willing to touch it are writers and directors who have absolutely no experience in the genre or cinema in general! We can add a director who is totally without experience in cinema or the SF/action genre to the story treatment by the small-time mystery novelist writer who also had zero experience with cinema or the SF/action genre!

It's like Warner Bros is trying to draw a line under just how lousy Robotech's prospects are. After the third-string director who gave the world Stomp the Yard turned down the director job for Robotech years ago, the best director they can dredge up is someone who's never worked in the industry before and is already giving priority to a different project? This, after they've already had their executive producer assign himself to every other title he can think of to avoid touching Robotech, and they've whiffed their way through the few talented writers willing to work with them and ended up with a guy who's only ever written Cold War-era murder mystery novels set in the Soviet Union?

Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed.

You know what .... HG & WB would be better spending the money to hire Shinji Aramaki as a director, reworked the RT:LA movie into an animated CG feature much like Appleseed movies or atleast more into the lines of Shinji's last animated Western direct-to- DVD animated feature, "Starship Trooper: Invasion".

[Seto Kaiba]

Your right. I'm just getting a little frustrated. If they don't do something soon that is better then average, it could, no, it will get bad for them.

Eh... at this point, the worst that can happen is that more fans will leave the shrinking Robotech that much faster in search of some other show. If they want to recapture that audience they're losing, and maybe even expand on that with people who didn't see the show almost 30 years ago in its original broadcast run, they're going to need to step their game up considerably with higher quality releases closer together. (RTSR is what, 6 years overdue from its only estimate now?)

WB better saved those money for financing a continuation of current RT-verse via animation.

As far as we've been told (by HG), Warner Bros' is only involved in the live-action movie's supposedly-ongoing development. They're not at all involved with the continuation of the animated Robotech universe, financially or otherwise, the top dogs at Harmony Gold put RTSC Part II on hold while they wait for the live-action movie to salvage Robotech's rep so they can get more money from potential investers for a bigger production budget.

[Protoculture]

It's very likely that the movie will be stuck in development hell forever, since it would be based on material that Harmony Gold's completely own, meaning Warner would be stuck looking over its shoulder for Big West's legal staff all during production.

That's another problem I see. Harmony Gold does a movie based on Macross, here come the lawsuits.

Unless they hire Shoji Kawamori as the mecha designer, which I personally think is not even plausible. BW has learned & smartened up alot after being screwed royally by Tatsunoko (in extension, by HG too) fin 1980s so 'em lawyers will be knocking the WB's door once they smell the Macross' blood (by that I mean SDFM's design influence in RT:LAM)