Macross Live Action Movie

[Toonz]

i'm not sure if this has been discussed before.

why is there no Macross live action movie with script, actors, CGI etc?

did kawamori ever thought of doing one?

[kanedaestes]

You know i am not too sure about live action translations of anime, especially mecha anime. I remember when they did that with Gundam a few years back and it didn't turn out so well. Plue S.K. from what has been said isn't as passionate about Macross and probably would pass on the idea. I could be wrong, but looking at past anime adaptations i wouldn't want to see one. It would kill me and the franchise.

[lord_breetai]

IIRC many years back there was going to be a live action macross but it was cancelled.

[RDClip]

i'm not sure if this has been discussed before.

why is there no Macross live action movie with script, actors, CGI etc?

did kawamori ever thought of doing one?

This would be one hell of a hard movie to make. If you want it looking good, pretty much the only way you could get enough money is through a major American studio. I doubt a Japanese studio would have the money to produce something that look real enough. Plus, I'm not betting on any anime-to live action movies being any good.

[Dante74]

The compendium states that there were plans to do a live action movie, it was put on the shelf though.

[T.V.]

Yes, there were some talks about it between Studio Nue and an American studio in '94, I believe.

If anything, the upcoming Transformers movie might pull other robot/mecha franchises into the light (again), just as X-men (2000) lead to a resurgence of comicbook hero movies.

2009 would be an excellent year for a live action Macross movie.

Edited April 3, 2007 by T.V.

[kanedaestes]

Well first i want to see a gundam movie (seeing as how it is a much bigger franchise). not because i am a bigger fan (because i am not, MACROSS IS ALWAYS NUMBER 1) but because if it bombs then i won't be upset because i didn't care to begin with. but if it works and is successful then they can move forward to macross. that's my two cents.

[Valkyrie addict]

I think it would be nice to see a live action Macross, but I don't think it could work...

how will you adapt the Macross story to live action, you can't possibly make the whole original Macross story to fit in 2 hour, of course, we got DYRL, but the story makes no sense if you haven't seen SDFM before

It could be make into a trilogy, or some kind of mini-series

or perhaps make a Macross sidestory

but most of time, during live-action adaptation, a lot of stuff are severely change by the evil producer 'cause they think it would be better that way, imagine they change the inmortal VF-1 into am ugly ass CGI rust bucket, or maybe making Roy Focker into a metrosexual prick, no way!

[kanedaestes]

I dont think the story would be hard to adapt really. Stretching it out over 2 or 3 movies though would be painful. I hate how now a days everything requires a sequel. It really doesn't. I am sure an excellent writer can cut it down to 2 hours. Make the movie 3 acts, and make each act about 45 to 50 minutes. Between acts show a passage of time to say somthing like a few months have passed blah blah blah blah.... It can be done, hell if i had the funding i would do it myself since i am a filmmaker. But then you come too the problem of releasing stateside at which point HG will get into the mix and screw the whole project one way or another. Long ago i mentioned making a Robotech movie just to have a Macross movie in the states. Basically i stated that if someone took all the great things that is Macross and placed them under the Robotech banner just to make it state side would you macrossworlders watch it. I believe i was chastized for the idea. I understand the hate towards robotech, but honestly a macross saga movie under the robotech banner is the only way a live action movie will be made stateside. Take it or leave it.

[Guest sh002]

Live action Macross Plus or Macross Zero.

[Valkyrie addict]

mmm.... I like your idea (kanedaestas), about dividing the story in 3 segments, but I feel it would still make the movie long, there is so much character developement in Macross, that someone or something will have to get cut off

there's already a live action Macross plus rip off, it's called 'Stealth' movie sucked major ass, hahahaha

[Guest sh002]

Ok what about a live action Macross Trilogy?

[kanedaestes]

Already addressed that but then that is my own opinion mind you. I don't mind sequels i just hate how everything merits a squel now a days.

[Guest sh002]

oops didn't read your post

[Sumdumgai]

A Macross sidestory as a movie could be cool, placed anywhere from Space War I up through VFX2, without the main characters from Macross. No need to redesign valkyries.

With so much story to explore in that time frame, why rehash what's already been done?

[valk1j]

Live action Macross Plus or Macross Zero.

I've always felt that a live action Macross Plus could be done. There is not a lot of characters to develop, not many CGI models to make, and no large scale combat to show. Macross Plus would cost less to make then the new Transformers film. A 2 1/2 hour film could easily tell the story and leave in all the elements from the OVA and movie. If it was successful then make SDF Macross, as a trilogy ala LOTR. The producers could bridge off the armistice ceremony from Macross Plus, and say here is the story of what that was about, and how we got to this point.

Edited April 3, 2007 by valk1j

[protodeviln]

I dont think the story would be hard to adapt really. Stretching it out over 2 or 3 movies though would be painful. I hate how now a days everything requires a sequel. It really doesn't. I am sure an excellent writer can cut it down to 2 hours. Make the movie 3 acts, and make each act about 45 to 50 minutes. Between acts show a passage of time to say somthing like a few months have passed blah blah blah blah.... It can be done, hell if i had the funding i would do it myself since i am a filmmaker. But then you come too the problem of releasing stateside at which point HG will get into the mix and screw the whole project one way or another. Long ago i mentioned making a Robotech movie just to have a Macross movie in the states. Basically i stated that if someone took all the great things that is Macross and placed them under the Robotech banner just to make it state side would you macrossworlders watch it. I believe i was chastized for the idea. I understand the hate towards robotech, but honestly a macross saga movie under the robotech banner is the only way a live action movie will be made stateside. Take it or leave it.

Exactly - would this be an entirely Produced and Directed - Japenese production? A wholly U.S financed film or a co venture? I too believe that any american forays into this realm would most likely be guised under the "Robotech Banner." IMHO I would probably not want to see an American production of Macross - but come the success or failure of Transformers( not that it's release in anyway, is tied with producing macross for the big screen) we still might see Macross come to life, in our lifetimes.

[RDClip]

Seems to me the only movie project that would be the most plausible is a live action version of DYRL. However, there would need to be some major revisions to the story and pace. (to tell the whole story i'd say it'd be about 2h20min)

And don't bet that any american studio would put and asian lead in a non martial arts or comedy movie. (so, say hello to rick hunter again)

[T.V.]

mmm.... I like your idea (kanedaestas), about dividing the story in 3 segments, but I feel it would still make the movie long, there is so much character developement in Macross, that someone or something will have to get cut off

The thing is, you shouldn't even try to put 36 episodes worth of story and character development in 2 hours of movie.

Being a different medium you have to make sweeping changes and significant modifications.

However, the essence of Macross - Valkyries, love triangles and music - can be maintained easily.

How I'd do it is concentrate the story on Hikaru, Misa and Minmei as the 3 leads.

The rest are just on the side, with Roy and Max being the most important supporting characters.

The rest are delegated to screen filler or simply cut.

As for the story, I'd do the opposite of DYRL, adapting the first episodes culminating in the launch of the SDF-1 into space, winning it's first engagement.

An eventual sequel could deal with the prolonged effect of the space war on the isolated Macross and it's return to Earth, but that doesn't mean that the initial movie can't be regarded as a self contained story.

Edited April 4, 2007 by T.V.

[Roy Focker]

Just don't turn this into a casting topic.

[Skullsixx]

Bets on how long until this thread gets shut down?

[TheLoneWolf]

The compendium states that there were plans to do a live action movie, it was put on the shelf though.

Thank goodness for that!! Japan isn't exactly known for it's stellar live-action science fiction movies

A US production is completely out of the question with the Macross rights being tangled up between HG, Big West, and a few other smaller companies. See the license thread HERE.

[Skullsixx]

Thank goodness for that!! Japan isn't exactly known for it's stellar live-action science fiction movies

A US production is completely out of the question with the Macross rights being tangled up between HG, Big West, and a few other smaller companies. See the license thread HERE.

I heard that!!!

[Macross73]

DYRL would be ok but I dont like the idea of massive script changes just

to whittle it down to fit a 2 hr time frame. Even then I could adjust to seeing

new faces to replace the ones I'm familiar with. It could work but I'd rather

some other show be the prototype for this.

[Vic Mancini]

I hate how now a days everything requires a sequel.

But you don't hate how now a days everything requires a live action movie adaptation?

A live action Macross would probably be about as good as:

...Why anyone would want to see a live action Macross baffles me.

[Lonewolf]

Well, at least Starship Troopers was entertaining. Spawn was okay, but nothing more, all the others were crap IMHO.

[Valkyrie addict]

hey, I enjoyed Doom!! hahaha, but hated how they changed the whole 'hell' thing, hhehehehe!

oh man! Wing Commander was like the biggest mistake in history!!

at least Silent Hill was a good game to movie adaptation

[kanedaestes]

And that is where you are wrong, you only cited movies that were terrible, what about movies like:

A History Of Violence

Road To Perdition

Xmen Franchise (although the last wasn't great)

Spiderman

Batman

Men In Black

The First two Ninja Turtle Movies.....

I could go on. Most of hollywood is an adaptation of something else so to assume that a Macross live adaptation would be terrible is wrong. It all depends on who handles it, produces it, directs, writes, etc. etc. They are many great people who can handle this right. Hell I could do it, but unfortunately Hollywood isn't known for giving unknown or up and comers huge budget films right off the bat.

Edited April 6, 2007 by kanedaestes

[kanedaestes]

And for the record the DYRL story is perfect. For the coverage of all the things that happened before they were in space you could show brief clips followed by paragraphs explaining it. Look at Star Wars, tons of things happened in between the films and they summed it all up in the text before each one. I would then use pretty much the exact same frame work as DYRL but inject more action is some areas. Like when Misa and Hikaru are on Earth you could easily cut to some footage of the Macross engaging in fights and what not on thier journey home. The biggest area i think you could add action is the damn scene where hikaru is running up a flight of stairs. Okay i get it he has a long way to go, it doesn't mean we need to waste 10 mins watching him go up the stairs, cut to some footage of the valks kicking ass or something. I have some many great ideas that would make this movie not only work live action, but be just as good as DYRL.

[Vic Mancini]

Xmen Franchise (although the last wasn't great)

Spiderman

Batman

Men In Black

The First two Ninja Turtle Movies.....

X-Men sucked. Spiderman sucked. Batman sucked, [yes...even Batman Begins], The Ninja Turtles sucked.

I read all of the above comic books as a youth, and non of the movie adaptations have done the original formats justice at all. X-men, Spiderman, Batman, and TMNT all worked in their original formats a lot better than their unnecessary live action movie adaptations starring cheesy miscast hollywood actors and watered down Michael Bay-esque direction and storytelling. There is so much wrong with Hollywood, I don't even know where to begin.

There are exceptions where live action films surpassed the original format from which they were adapted, but it's so incredibly rare and usually completely frivalous. Why wreck a beautiful franshise with a crappy popcorn flick adaptation?

What's wrong with anime? Macross works in that realm.

Just say NO to useless live action movie adaptations of things that work just fine the way they are.

[kanedaestes]

Meh that's all opinion really. I have read the comics and i am an avid fan of many of those heroes. Sure the movies changed a lot of things but there were still good and entertaining in their own right. Most things are rarely ever has good as their original material, but that doesn't mean that they don't work in other mediums. And last i checked there have been many times that the original source material has been outright terrible anyway, or do i need to bring up the spiderman clone saga?

[Skullsixx]

Starship Troopers-one of the worst sci-fi films ever. Whatta ya expect, it's Paul Verhoeven.

Wing Commander-This is actually worse than Starship Troopers.

Aeon Flux-WHY?

Doom-I'd rather play the game.

Spawn-'nuff said!!!

[Macross73]

I liked Starship Troopers

[Dante74]

Yeah, me too, and the first Robocop was cool, another Paul Verhoeven.

[Zinjo]

Starship Troopers-one of the worst sci-fi films ever. Whatta ya expect, it's Paul Verhoeven.

Wing Commander-This is actually worse than Starship Troopers.

Aeon Flux-WHY?

Doom-I'd rather play the game.

Spawn-'nuff said!!!

Well everyone has their own tastes.

I liked Starship troopers before it became a cult hit.

It was Verhoeven's action parody of the Nazi propoganda films he saw as a child in German occupied Holland.

Aeon Flux was a "good" scifi movie, it had all the elements and was well executed, but it wouldn't be classified as a "great" sf film IMO.

Doom was a decent adaptation until they did the "guncam" and that sent it from acceptable (dispite it's abandonment of the metaphysical part of the game) to downright stupid! If I wanted to see the a guncam I'd play the damn game!

Wing Cmmander was the biggest disappointment for me (including the fact that they couldn't get Malcolm McDowell as Tolwyn due to scheduling conflicts) as I am a big WC fan and Roberts knows how to put together a compelling game, but needs to stay out of the directors chair for movies....

Spawn = yawn.

Serenity, I loved except the whole River takes on the Reavers sequence. A total waste of time and it stole the fire of the climax IMO. I understand Whedon's reasoning, but he should have been more brutally honest to the story and allowed himself less guilt about putting Summer Glau through martial arts boot camp for those shots.

Superhero films are far to subjective to really debate as everyone has their own preferences.

I didn't care for the X-men and really felt that 3 pissed away one of the greatest nemesis the team ever had, "Dark Phoenix". I like Raimi's Spidey and Batman Begins, and liked Superman Returns (although they could have made the film for half of what they spent and it would still have worked).

Now I expect others to disagree with me and that's fine, since these are my opinions...

I don't think we are ready for a live action Macross yet.

There is the issue of ownership and respect for the original material not to mention that ther would need to be a sufficient period of time to keep it from being dismissed as another "transformers movie". The effects are nearly at a level where it could be pulled off, but it would require the clout of Micheal Bay, Speilberg, Lucas, Cameron or any of the other big hitters to be inspired to do it and be interested before a studio would pony up the necessary capital to do the story justice.

The reason why there isn't an Evangelion movie yet is because all the parties involved won't compromise on the story. That is why now they have split it into a trilogy as opposed to a one off movie. They want all the elements to be right and apparently schedules are what's delaying the film.

Edited April 8, 2007 by Zinjo