Live-action Robotech Movie

[terry the lone wolf]

It's fan art but the artist wanted to be considered for a designer job on the Robotech movie..

http://walls4joy.com/wallpaper/331743-Kai-Lim-robotech

[jvmacross]

Thanks for ID-ing the artist...great stuff!

His Star Wars illustrations make Star Wars cooler than it really is...

[skullmilitia]

Speaking of Robotech...

funny April Fools day courtesy of Collection DX

http://www.collectiondx.com/

Screen shot for the lazy

Edited April 1, 2015 by skullmilitia

[Mr March]

Brilliant! It's gold alright....COMEDY gold

[Gerli]

http://io9.com/how-to-make-a-live-action-robotech-movie-franchise-the-1695037458?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Eh?

[azrael]

Eh?

It's io9. Fanboy's answer to a question no one asked.

[Mr March]

It's io9. Fanboy's answer to a question no one asked.

If it makes you feel any better, most blogs I go to now have finally stopped linking to that site.

[Knight26]

http://io9.com/how-to-make-a-live-action-robotech-movie-franchise-the-1695037458?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Eh?

I love how these Roblowblech die hards seem to think that a live action Macross Saga can happen. HG doesn't have the power to allow that.

[azrael]

I love how these Roblowblech die hards seem to think that a live action Macross Saga can happen. HG doesn't have the power to allow that.

It could happen. It just won't look like what they [think/hope/desire/have-wet-dreams-about/etc.] it will look like.

[Einherjar]

I think you're underestimating the dark side of nostalgia, which is probably the only thing helping this franchise make money these days.

[Mommar]

It's fan art but the artist wanted to be considered for a designer job on the Robotech movie..

http://walls4joy.com/wallpaper/331743-Kai-Lim-robotech

Not a bad design, really.

[Mechapilot77]

Not a bad design, really.

it looks like the armarauders thing mixed with a tomcat....kinda don't like the look at all. gerwalks need bird legs IMO.

[Knight26]

That image has been floating around the web for over 10 years now.

[JetJockey]

I love how these Roblowblech die hards seem to think that a live action Macross Saga can happen. HG doesn't have the power to allow that.

Do you mean power or ability to get another US company to finance it? I thought they could do whatever they wanted with the Macross Saga as long as it was under the title Robotech.

I guess the fact that the Kickstarter failed and I think that was for a TV show, shows that there isn't much interest in a Robotech project. But you never know. Some producer might find a good script and turn it into Robotech. Convince a bunch of producers or actors that the project will make money. Depending on how successful the American Ghost in the Shell turns out, I could see that happening with Robotech.

[jenius]

Do you mean power or ability to get another US company to finance it? I thought they could do whatever they wanted with the Macross Saga as long as it was under the title Robotech.

I guess the fact that the Kickstarter failed and I think that was for a TV show, shows that there isn't much interest in a Robotech project. But you never know. Some producer might find a good script and turn it into Robotech. Convince a bunch of producers or actors that the project will make money. Depending on how successful the American Ghost in the Shell turns out, I could see that happening with Robotech.

There's a big licensing thread about it, and plenty of Robotech fan denial, but I think the way things sorted out is that Harmony Gold has the right to do whatever they want with the SDF Macross FOOTAGE (by way of Tatsunoko) and the right to merchandise based on that footage (including comics and video games as well as toys, apparel, etc.,They don't have any rights to the designs or characters. There are lots of unique elements of Robotech that were created by way of the adaptation, for example, Rick Hunter is not a character in SDF Macross though he may share a lot of similarities to HIkaru Ichijo. So Rick Hunter could certainly show up in Robotech the Movie but Hikaru Ichijo obviously wouldn't. In Macross "Protoculture" isn't a fuel macguffin so Robotech the movie can have Protoculture fuel (though one hopes they'd change the name to something that wasn't obviously lifted and seemed nonsensical for a fuel). That's why the folks at Harmony Gold are always careful to say "We have the rights to everything Robotech", because they do have the rights to anything that is UNIQUE in the Robotech story... they don't have the rights to everything MACROSS. There are lots of elements in both Robotech and Macross that would fall under "generic scifi" tropes so those too could be used. You could probably have giant aliens, transforming vehicles, etc without any issue provided they weren't identical to the ones in Macross or have identical names if those names are specific (so you probably wouldn't have an Exedore or Breetai).The generic field is one where the producers would want to err on the side of caution as to not invite a lawsuit by BigWest.

At the end of the day, not being able to do Macross really shouldn't be that big a deal. They can still tell a story about a retrofitted alien ship fighting to save Earth with transformable fighter planes... it's just a lot of names will change and none of the vehicles will look like they did in the show but as others have mentioned, Transformers already showed us that our childhood isn't going to the big screen, it will be something else.

[JB0]

And to make a long story short, HG knew this back in the day. There is a good reason that all the returning characters in The Sentinels got a complete redesign, and it has a lot to do with them not having the legal rights to make new animation with the old designs.

(Ditto for Shadow Chronicles)

It's the same reason they didn't block US releases of Macross II and Macross Plus. They knew they didn't have a leg to stand on. And of course there was Macross: DYRL, which one would think they MIGHT have a vested interest in.

After Mac+ came out, they got greedy and started trying to shake everyone down for money. They know they don't have a leg to stand on, but also know that no one wants to actually go to court over it. They keep hoping they'll see a payday... which they almost did once.

But a live-action Robotech movie won't use the original designs, and won't use the original story even if they DID have rights. So it's fair game.

Edited April 4, 2015 by JB0

[cypherxv]

If the movie actually gets made I hope there's something in it that BW could sue HG on and end this BS. If the movie never gets made I'll be happy with that too.

[JB0]

There won't be anything that's grounds for a lawsuit. Even if they WEREN'T being careful. The nature of these big studio adaptations is such that it was almost guaranteed to go so far astray from the original source as to be unrecognizable even without legal issues.

I hope it does get made, hits theaters, and bombs horribly. Because this is going to be a hilarious trainwreck, and I'm still feelin' the hurt from the kickstarter campaign's early termination.

Alternatively, I hope it hits theaters and surprises everyone by being a genuinely good science fiction movie. But that's not going to happen.

Edited April 4, 2015 by JB0

[JetJockey]

There's a big licensing thread about it, and plenty of Robotech fan denial, but I think the way things sorted out is that Harmony Gold has the right to do whatever they want with the SDF Macross FOOTAGE (by way of Tatsunoko) and the right to merchandise based on that footage (including comics and video games as well as toys, apparel, etc.,They don't have any rights to the designs or characters. There are lots of unique elements of Robotech that were created by way of the adaptation, for example, Rick Hunter is not a character in SDF Macross though he may share a lot of similarities to HIkaru Ichijo. So Rick Hunter could certainly show up in Robotech the Movie but Hikaru Ichijo obviously wouldn't. In Macross "Protoculture" isn't a fuel macguffin so Robotech the movie can have Protoculture fuel (though one hopes they'd change the name to something that wasn't obviously lifted and seemed nonsensical for a fuel). That's why the folks at Harmony Gold are always careful to say "We have the rights to everything Robotech", because they do have the rights to anything that is UNIQUE in the Robotech story... they don't have the rights to everything MACROSS. There are lots of elements in both Robotech and Macross that would fall under "generic scifi" tropes so those too could be used. You could probably have giant aliens, transforming vehicles, etc without any issue provided they weren't identical to the ones in Macross or have identical names if those names are specific (so you probably wouldn't have an Exedore or Breetai).The generic field is one where the producers would want to err on the side of caution as to not invite a lawsuit by BigWest.

At the end of the day, not being able to do Macross really shouldn't be that big a deal. They can still tell a story about a retrofitted alien ship fighting to save Earth with transformable fighter planes... it's just a lot of names will change and none of the vehicles will look like they did in the show but as others have mentioned, Transformers already showed us that our childhood isn't going to the big screen, it will be something else.

That's kind of what I thought. That it had to be the Robotech Macross Saga. Not pure Macross Japanese version. I haven't seen Robotech in so long do they actually use the name Macross in the show? I can't remember.

It's still surprising how all this mess happened with I assume smart people back in the day. It's worse than the Marvel stuff with different companies having rights to certain properties.

And to make a long story short, HG knew this back in the day. There is a good reason that all the returning characters in The Sentinels got a complete redesign, and it has a lot to do with them not having the legal rights to make new animation with the old designs.

(Ditto for Shadow Chronicles)

It's the same reason they didn't block US releases of Macross II and Macross Plus. They knew they didn't have a leg to stand on. And of course there was Macross: DYRL, which one would think they MIGHT have a vested interest in.

After Mac+ came out, they got greedy and started trying to shake everyone down for money. They know they don't have a leg to stand on, but also know that no one wants to actually go to court over it. They keep hoping they'll see a payday... which they almost did once.

But a live-action Robotech movie won't use the original designs, and won't use the original story even if they DID have rights. So it's fair game.

Didn't Harmony Gold release Macross II? Not sure about Macross Plus. It is odd that they would release or allow those two and not Frontier. I'm kind of confused now.

I do remember first seeing The Sentinels and thinking that the animation was different from the original. It wasn't as fluid. But I still got as much as I could. I have the record, the Art of The Sentinels, and the paperback books. I think there were 5 of them. I did have the comics but sold those. I might have sold the original VHS tape too.

Edited April 7, 2015 by JetJockey

[camk4evr]

No. U.S. Renditions (then later Manga ent.) licensed and released Macross II.

[JetJockey]

I kind of remember US Renditions. I think I got Dangaio and Gunbuster from them too. Not sure what else. I have to think about that now.

[JB0]

It's still surprising how all this mess happened with I assume smart people back in the day. It's worse than the Marvel stuff with different companies having rights to certain properties.

Different era. No one expected these things to have value five years later, much less thirty-five.

Didn't Harmony Gold release Macross II? Not sure about Macross Plus. It is odd that they would release or allow those two and not Frontier. I'm kind of confused now.

Like I said, they got greedy. They know they don't have a leg to stand on, but they're willing to shake people down for money anyways.

Edited April 7, 2015 by JB0

[terry the lone wolf]

Shoji Kawamori is designing Macross style mech for a property that's not Macross?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/04/06/new-thunderbirds-series-adds-a-bit-of-macross-to-the-mix/

Edited April 8, 2015 by terry the lone wolf

[azrael]

Shoji Kawamori is designing Macross style mech for a property that's not Macross?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/04/06/new-thunderbirds-series-adds-a-bit-of-macross-to-the-mix/

Remember Kiss Dum? People said the same thing about those mechs. He just has this style.

[jenius]

That's kind of what I thought. That it had to be the Robotech Macross Saga. Not pure Macross Japanese version. I haven't seen Robotech in so long do they actually use the name Macross in the show? I can't remember.

It's still surprising how all this mess happened with I assume smart people back in the day. It's worse than the Marvel stuff with different companies having rights to certain properties.

Yeah, I'm sure the word "Macross" pops up in both the original show and the Robotech adaptation. In a new movie they almost certainly would not use the word "Macross" which may seem counter-intuitive due to the trademark HG has but that relates to defense of their rights to the footage of the original series and doesn't denote rights to the IP. There are lots of other things that would be off limits from the original "Macross Saga". There'd be no Roy Focker/Fokker, Minmay, the term "Zentraedi", and they'd probably have to ditch the major theme of Macross where an idol's song basically saves humanity as that doesn't quite sound generic to me. So... I think what you're left with is Battlefield Earth with transforming fighter jets.

Since so much of the Macross Saga overlaps with Macross, what we'd likely get is some amalgamation of the entire series in one movie. HG can use the Invid and the Zor/Robotech Masters, and they can use the characters from those arcs, so maybe Rick Hunter and his best friend Scott Bernard will team up to fight the Masters invasion of earth with the help of Zor, a runaway Masters scientist and the new super spaceship he has developed.

[SuperSenpai]

I think they might also be able to work in the plot element of aliens-in-human-form-start-to-become-susceptible-to-human-emotions. It was generic enough that all three series adapted into Robotech used it to some degree. It was also somewhat of a plot element of the Battlestar Galactica remake.

Another route they could go is mining the Robotech novels for concepts that would help them steer clear of Macross. The novels envisioned Robotech/Protoculture as something that gave machines the appearance of having life. Thinking caps and self-healing machinery are elements that weren't used in Macross.

[Kelsain]

That's kind of what I thought. That it had to be the Robotech Macross Saga. Not pure Macross Japanese version. I haven't seen Robotech in so long do they actually use the name Macross in the show? I can't remember.

IIRC, the only use of it was changing the name of South Ataria Island to Macross Island, the site of Macross City. They always referred to the ship itself as the SDF-1.

[JB0]

That's my recollection as well.

[Duke Togo]

I wouldn't be shocked if they dumped the transforming fighters part.

[Keith]

Actually, and this is sheet conjevture based on what they the making of Shadow Chronicles doc, I'm pretty sure HG can only safely play with Mospeada properties in a new production, since that was the only weries Tatsunoko 100% held.

[jenius]

When I wrote about the failure of Academy someone wrote me in regards to The Masters arc and said that HG had uncontested right to Southern Cross. HG just knows people aren't very fond of that series so they don't cater to it.

[camk4evr]

IIRC, the only use of it was changing the name of South Ataria Island to Macross Island, the site of Macross City. They always referred to the ship itself as the SDF-1.

True, but Macross (and Zentraedi) are made up words created by Big West and I believe the city built up around the Macross, after the battle with Bodol Fleet, is called Macross City.

[terry the lone wolf]

True, but Macross (and Zentraedi) are made up words created by Big West and I believe the city built up around the Macross, after the battle with Bodol Fleet, is called Macross City.

Big West didn't create the names or terminology of Macross (that credit goes to Studio Nue) they just own it..

[Einherjar]

Shoji Kawamori is designing Macross style mech for a property that's not Macross?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/04/06/new-thunderbirds-series-adds-a-bit-of-macross-to-the-mix/

Not everyone is fortunate enough to call convention panels work. He has to settle for a successful professional career. For 30+ years, even.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Einherjar

[reddsun1]

Big ol' meh. Robotech's been done live action already--or at least, it's practically been used to storyboard [various parts of] a live action flick, anyways. An' you know what? It [that movie] sucked ass. It sucked a dead hooker's ass. It sucked a dead hooker's ass that's been locked in the trunk of some old Lincoln on a Jersey turnpike for 2 or 3 days.

Edited April 10, 2015 by reddsun1