Live-action Robotech Movie

[Gubaba]

Tell! Tell! Tell!

Okay... at a convention I went to in '85 or '86, there was a Robotech panel, and Carl Macek was there. Someone asked him how Dana's hair changed from green (as a Komilia) to blonde (as Jeanne Françaix). He replied that there were two possible answers, the fantasy answer and the fictional answer. The fantasy answer was that her hair just magically grew out blonde as she got older. The fictional answer was that she got her hands on a bottle of peroxide.

[jenius]

Then there's the fact that Battlestar Galactica also covered a lot of the same territory as Robotech:

Military-themed space opera? Check.

Fighter pilots as primary characters? Check.

Space dog-fighting? Check.

Destruction of home planet? Check.

Civilian refugees living on a military vessel? Check.

Love triangle? Check.

Inter-racial/species romance? Check.

Enemies living in cloned human bodies that make them vulnerable to human emotions? Check.

Yeah, I thought about that when I was writing that the SDF-1 replacement ship would act as a bunker and pick up civilians at an off-Earth base... at this point the story would sound VERY BSG. That said the new BSG was awesome (most of the time) and nothing is original any more. Also, all of this story needs to get pegged into two hours of film. I don't know, while I expect this film to be a raping of my childhood, I think there's enough generic scifi elements where a good movie could get made if they didn't try to jam too much canon Robotech into it. Aliens attack, humanity saves the day with the help of transforming fighter jets. If Battle Los Angeles could be watchable they could make a decent film out of this.

[SuperSenpai]

Yeah, I thought about that when I was writing that the SDF-1 replacement ship would act as a bunker and pick up civilians at an off-Earth base... at this point the story would sound VERY BSG. That said the new BSG was awesome (most of the time) and nothing is original any more. Also, all of this story needs to get pegged into two hours of film. I don't know, while I expect this film to be a raping of my childhood, I think there's enough generic scifi elements where a good movie could get made if they didn't try to jam too much canon Robotech into it. Aliens attack, humanity saves the day with the help of transforming fighter jets. If Battle Los Angeles could be watchable they could make a decent film out of this.

My main point in the BSG comparison was that, even though you and I know that the Macross story concepts pre-date the new BSG series (and probably pre-date even Macross -- didn't Space Battleship Yamato use the idea of civilians living in a military vessel?), most people out there don't. If a live-action Robotech movie resembling the one you've described gets made, it will inevitably be compared against BSG, even though its plot pre-dates BSG.

That said, I also enjoyed the re-imagined BSG series. While I was watching the series, I noticed enough similarities that I wondered to what degree, if any, the writers had been inspired by Robotech/Macross. In fact, with just a bit of tweaking -- change the enemies from Cylons to giant aliens, make the ships more jet-like and transformable, change the Twelve Colonies to the UEG -- it could have been a live action Robotech/Macross TV show.

I agree with you about the "raping of my childhood". What made Robotech great is the Macross source material. The movie I'd want to get made would need to be faithful to that source material, and as long as the legal issues surrounding Macross are a factor, that movie will never get made. So at this point, the best I'm hoping for is a decent space opera film with transforming jets, and try to forget the fact that it's supposed to have anything to do with Robotech.

My only other hope is that some Japanese studio gets the rights from Big West and makes a big budget Macross live action film with an international cast....

Edited February 28, 2013 by SuperSenpai

[azrael]

Again, I don't see why there is such a fascination with only using Macross, when what they have from RT is perfectly fine. By sticking to RT, there is no legal issue, if there was even one to begin with in making a RT live-action flick. "But, the Macross-part was so popular and everyone remembers that. Macross made Robotech." So what about the other 2 shows they crammed in with Macross to make RT? The ones they used to explain how a ship from space crashed on Earth, why they were fighting giants, getting high on a bio-fuel, fighting for an energy source which lasted 50 years in their universe and through 3 different alien races? So that large convoluted narrative they have dating back to 1985 when they combined 3 non-related shows is not enough? They can't cherry pick from Carl Macek's work, the novels, the RPGs, the comics, whatever crap they have up to now, or come up with something new, which they own without legal recourse? They can only pick from Macross? If you want a Macross-movie, go to Japan, talk to Big West and Kawamori and beg them to revive their live-action Macross movie which will be called "Macross", have a story for Japanese audiences and Asian actors (and hopefully pretty actresses ). This thread and it's subject matter is about an RT live-action flick.

[JuanRT]

one thing thats is missing from this is that they article said that was 'in talks' but Steve said on the convetion, that they sing him.

[SuperSenpai]

Again, I don't see why there is such a fascination with only using Macross, when what they have from RT is perfectly fine. By sticking to RT, there is no legal issue, if there was even one to begin with in making a RT live-action flick. "But, the Macross-part was so popular and everyone remembers that. Macross made Robotech." So what about the other 2 shows they crammed in with Macross to make RT? The ones they used to explain how a ship from space crashed on Earth, why they were fighting giants, getting high on a bio-fuel, fighting for an energy source which lasted 50 years in their universe and through 3 different alien races? So that large convoluted narrative they have dating back to 1985 when they combined 3 non-related shows is not enough? They can't cherry pick from Carl Macek's work, the novels, the RPGs, the comics, whatever crap they have up to now, or come up with something new, which they own without legal recourse? They can only pick from Macross? If you want a Macross-movie, go to Japan, talk to Big West and Kawamori and beg them to revive their live-action Macross movie which will be called "Macross", have a story for Japanese audiences and Asian actors (and hopefully pretty actresses ). This thread and it's subject matter is about an RT live-action flick.

They can, and they will have to. That's the whole point. But it's hard to argue against the claim that Macross is the most popular of the three parts of Robotech, the part that's the most memorable. They will have to use elements from Southern Cross and Mospeada, as well as whatever original stuff Macek et al came up with, but it will be at the expense of some level of recognition from the nostalgia seekers they hope to market this film towards. I know a lot of people who remember Robotech, but what they really remember is Macross. Even for Robotech fans who enjoyed the rest of the series, Macross remains the heart of the franchise. I love Mospeada, but to see a Robotech movie get made without the Macross material would be disappointing, to say the least.

Then there's the fact that Macross provides the foundation for the whole Robotech narrative -- alien vessel crash lands on Earth, humans reverse-engineer the technology, aliens arrive in pursuit of the vessel, etc. If they have to do without the Macross material, they need to come up with an alternative origin story, as Jenius pointed out. No Macross characters, mecha designs, or story elements -- pretty soon you're going to have a movie that resembles Robotech only vaguely.

If you want any further proof, just look at Shadow Chronicles. Nothing from Macross was actually in the film. It was basically a New Generation sequel. But that's one of the main reasons why it worked -- it was a sequel, so they could get away without having to rely much on Macross because 1) it was three generations ago, and 2) it's already established as background by the TV show. Any live action movie that gets made can't afford to do that because it won't be a sequel, so they will have to come up with something else. But that something else is not going resemble what most people remember about Robotech.

[reddsun1]

In other words: it's pretty much safe to say that however this movie turns out, it's going to be a steaming assfest, that will leave a lingering aftertaste of bitterness and disappointment for any fans--of Robotech or Macross--who invest their time and money going to see it...

[Einherjar]

Okay... at a convention I went to in '85 or '86, there was a Robotech panel, and Carl Macek was there. Someone asked him how Dana's hair changed from green (as a Komilia) to blonde (as Jeanne Françaix). He replied that there were two possible answers, the fantasy answer and the fictional answer. The fantasy answer was that her hair just magically grew out blonde as she got older. The fictional answer was that she got her hands on a bottle of peroxide.

Robotech sure has gotten away with a lot over the years.

[azrael]

... But that something else is not going resemble what most people remember about Robotech.

Bay's Transformers. Many childhoods were violated there and it did fine.

As I've said over the years, a rewrite would be for the best as it would take care any universe continuity issues RT has had over the years. And as we all know, other media->movie usually involves a rewrite/reorg/change. And well, RT needs it. It would be for the best franchise if it wants new blood and not live off the blood of 40-somethings-year olds. 'Probably could get rid of that peroxide bottle too.

[SuperSenpai]

Bay's Transformers. Many childhoods were violated there and it did fine.

As I've said over the years, a rewrite would be for the best as it would take care any universe continuity issues RT has had over the years. And as we all know, other media->movie usually involves a rewrite/reorg/change. And well, RT needs it. It would be for the best franchise if it wants new blood and not live off the blood of 40-somethings-year olds. 'Probably could get rid of that peroxide bottle too.

I actually agree about the re-writes being needed. I think the ideal scenario would be a re-written backstory to make everything more consistent and seamless, while also having access to Macross characters and mecha designs.

Come to think of it, the Robotech novels were pretty much an attempt to do just that. I wasn't a big fan of the "Shapings of the Protoculture" thing that McKinney introduced (made it too much like the Force from Star Wars), but I thought things like fleshing out the nature of Robotechnology (like the thinking caps) and adding greater depth of characterization were welcome additions.

[VF-15 Banshee]

while also having access to Macross characters and mecha designs.

I'm not sure that would ever happen. I don't see Big West giving up or loaning Macross' IP rights so easily.

[dakedo]

Bay's Transformers. Many childhoods were violated there and it did fine.

As I've said over the years, a rewrite would be for the best as it would take care any universe continuity issues RT has had over the years. And as we all know, other media->movie usually involves a rewrite/reorg/change. And well, RT needs it. It would be for the best franchise if it wants new blood and not live off the blood of 40-somethings-year olds. 'Probably could get rid of that peroxide bottle too.

Agree completly.

Of course there will be a huge re-write if this movie ever gets done.

This is how Hollywood makes a movie: steal idea, call inept writers to make s script, said writers must be clueless about the original plot, get rid of many of important subplots that made the original idea any good, add a lot of average movie cliches like bullet time scenes, CGI crapola all over the place, mix, blend, produce.

I almost can picture a Veritech in robot mode doing a 360 degrees Trinity style kick on the air against an alien.

And an invisible SDF-2 that nobody ever sees, exploding near the end of the movie although the explosion seems to be happening on the SDF-1, oh no wait, thats the original RT.

The movie will be far far far from anything in Robotech, we will get to see some transforming planes and some random alien race attacking. Pretty much like Skyline with more budget and gerwalks/robot modes and some random pilot being named Rick Hunter. Im sure it will pisss off many RT fans.

IN summary, in the mind of a Hollywood producer Robotech is all about 3-mode mecha vs aliens. Everything else is discardable.

[SuperSenpai]

I'm not sure that would ever happen. I don't see Big West giving up or loaning Macross' IP rights so easily.

Oh, I know it's not going to happen. But we can still dream, can't we?

[jenius]

Obviously BW isn't giving up anything... hence my list of guesses that tweaked everything enough to make it BW-proof. I've been trying to figure out lately how WWIII would play out to open the film. It's a footnote in the RT universe and I'm starting to think it'd have to be yanked from the storyline also after that Red Dawn remake fiasco where the bad guys couldn't be Chinese because China is too good a market for studios. Here's how I'd start the film:

Submarine fight! We see a US Submarine fire two torpedos, one strikes a non-descript enemy submarine sinking it the other continues on and blasts into an underwater cliff revealing something shiny underneath. Turns out there's an alien vessel off the coast of some remote location. When did it splash down? It seems failry recent, like 50 to 100 years ago. Next scene there are divers on board the alien craft. How'd they get in? Who cares. Inside there are dead aliens (soldier and leader class) and some mind boggling tech.

Alternate opening: 20 years into the future man has caravans to the moon and Mars where we have people living. Suddenly, something crashes into Mars. Over the next 10 years this secret is kept from Earth while the information derived from the alien vessel, and major chunks of the vessel itself, are brought to Earth. Humanity uses this technology to create their own space ship (derived from the crashed ship, complete with FTL). As a test run the ship does an FTL hop to Mars but over shoots it. The aliens detect the space fold and assume it's Zor's fortress and arrive en masse but when they get here it's clearly not Zor's fortress and we resemble their master class too much to attack us. Then they fall in love with us, we schtoop their women, and they die of self-loathing.

[VF-15 Banshee]

Oh, I know it's not going to happen. But we can still dream, can't we?

Hopes and dreams are meant to be crushed into a fine powder that you can make cheap beer from.

[Mr March]

Well we can be sure whatever the Hollywood studios do, 40-somethings won't be the target audience; it'll be the typical 18-34 crowd

[Garbon]

Well we can be sure whatever the Hollywood studios do, 40-somethings won't be the target audience; it'll be the typical 18-34 crowd

Never take bets on what Hollyweird will do. Take a look at the latest Dark Shadow movie or what they had planned (shudders) for TMNT.

[electric indigo]

My expectation is a mix of "Stealth" and "Battleship"... minus Jessica Biel.

[Dio]

Re: Big West and the Red Dawn topics, that is something I seriously wonder about.

Movies these days put major focus on international box office earnings and merchandise rights, in orde to even get greenlit or funded, and can be radically altered or even canceled based on issues that put the bottom line at risk. How exactly could RT pass that hurdle if it doesn't abandon its derivative content? Or is there not enough dog in the fight for that to be an issue? I know we see new reboots, remakes, etc all the time these days, but for a franchise that's still alive and producing continuing content (in Japan at least), it seems like a pretty far leap.

[SuperSenpai]

Obviously BW isn't giving up anything... hence my list of guesses that tweaked everything enough to make it BW-proof. I've been trying to figure out lately how WWIII would play out to open the film. It's a footnote in the RT universe and I'm starting to think it'd have to be yanked from the storyline also after that Red Dawn remake fiasco where the bad guys couldn't be Chinese because China is too good a market for studios. Here's how I'd start the film:

Submarine fight! We see a US Submarine fire two torpedos, one strikes a non-descript enemy submarine sinking it the other continues on and blasts into an underwater cliff revealing something shiny underneath. Turns out there's an alien vessel off the coast of some remote location. When did it splash down? It seems failry recent, like 50 to 100 years ago. Next scene there are divers on board the alien craft. How'd they get in? Who cares. Inside there are dead aliens (soldier and leader class) and some mind boggling tech.

Alternate opening: 20 years into the future man has caravans to the moon and Mars where we have people living. Suddenly, something crashes into Mars. Over the next 10 years this secret is kept from Earth while the information derived from the alien vessel, and major chunks of the vessel itself, are brought to Earth. Humanity uses this technology to create their own space ship (derived from the crashed ship, complete with FTL). As a test run the ship does an FTL hop to Mars but over shoots it. The aliens detect the space fold and assume it's Zor's fortress and arrive en masse but when they get here it's clearly not Zor's fortress and we resemble their master class too much to attack us. Then they fall in love with us, we schtoop their women, and they die of self-loathing.

Hm, sounds like a mash-up of Transformers: DOTM and Star Trek: First Contact.

One thing that we won't be able to get around is the fact that the movie is going to be called "Robotech". Story-wise, this begs the question of why the technology is so important that the aliens are willing to go to such lengths to get it even though they seem to possess highly advanced technology of their own (and why the movie itself is named for it!). So any re-writes to the backstory that the screenwriters do will have to address that, IMO.

I had a couple of thoughts of my own on how they might do that. First, I would completely ditch the idea of Protoculture as fuel, and not even bother addressing the issue of fuel at all. Second, emphasize the fact that the humans really don't understand what Robotech is. Due to the highly advanced nature of the technology, humans are barely able to understand how to make use of it. The weapons they develop based on Robotech barely scratch the surface of its applications. They are amazed at developments such as transformable mecha and space fold technology, but such things are merely trifles in terms of what Robotechnology can do, and the humans lack the ability to grasp its true potential. The aliens, on the other hand, know exactly what can be accomplished with it, which is why they are so determined to possess it.

Along the way, the aliens figure out that the humans don't really understand Robotech. Whereas previously they had engaged in battle with the humans only to test how much they knew about Robotech, now they realize that they can easily defeat them with their advanced weaponry and superior numbers. But before they can do this, they discover that they have been compromised by being exposed to human culture. No music or Minmei in this scenario, just plain old fashioned love, sex, etc.

[Einherjar]

Movies these days put major focus on international box office earnings and merchandise rights, in orde to even get greenlit or funded, and can be radically altered or even canceled based on issues that put the bottom line at risk. How exactly could RT pass that hurdle if it doesn't abandon its derivative content? Or is there not enough dog in the fight for that to be an issue? I know we see new reboots, remakes, etc all the time these days, but for a franchise that's still alive and producing continuing content (in Japan at least), it seems like a pretty far leap.

If you are referring to new Robotech productions, Love Live Alive is being made using Mospeada's OVA made almost 30 years ago with new animation (and is being delayed) while Shadow Rising, and the story arc started by Shadow Chronicles, has been delayed indefinitely to prevent conflicts with WB's plans regarding the RINO (Robotech In Name Only) film. Realistically, it's like everything depends on this film being taken seriously to keep the franchise alive, since HG is pretty much useless without relying on the source material they've milked enough from. And if things play out like before, the news about another random person getting attached to the film is both going to be the the biggest thing to happen for the RINO film this year and the only thing to happen for the RINO film this year.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Einherjar

[jenius]

Just because it's called "Robotech" there's no reason to make the technology what the aliens are after. In fact, the term Robotech is so 80s sounding that I think a feature film should downplay it. They could throw in a scene where the Dr. Lang-type character is explaining to another character something along these lines:
"We call the suite of technologies derived from alien craft one 'Robotech.' These technologies range from the construction methods of ultra durable, light-weight metal alloys to brain-scanning technologies that allow man and machine to sync telepathically."

I think it'd be kind of silly for the Masters to be after the technology in general on one of their escaped ships. I think you have to keep it a specific technology. It could be Protoculture-esque in the form of a unique power source. I think this is probably a good bet because it gives the Hollywood types a chance to harp on the abuse of resources. Obviously anything's possible but I guess Protoculture gets renamed slightly to sound less like 'first culture' and gets honed into an unlimited power source. It'd be easy to establish this early too by having the human ship fire its main gun a few times in a battle then do an FTL jump "Only a ship using Zor's power source could use so much energy in one fight! Now we have to figure out a way of taking the ship without destroying it but after that last battle the humans seem reckless enough to destroy their own ship in a fight. What do we do? Let's watch them for a bit. Hey, they look just like our leader class. You know what, I'm going to go on board and check them out first hand. Whoa, when I look at this lady I get an inappropriate tingle. You know, I like this tingle." yada yada yada

Edited March 2, 2013 by jenius

[Jefuemon]

You know what, I'm going to go on board and check them out first hand. Whoa, when I look at this lady I get an inappropriate tingle. You know, I like this tingle." yada yada yada

Is this the Roboblech film we're talking about, or are we already going into porn-parody territory?

[Dio]

Sounds like several of us are content to try and write the movie FOR them

[xrentonx]

Is this the Roboblech film we're talking about, or are we already going into porn-parody territory?

Porn-parody...more like RoBLOWTech, amirite? Edited March 3, 2013 by xrentonx

[Gubaba]

Sounds like several of us are content to try and write the movie FOR them

Yeah... this is kinda turning into the RT fanfic thread. I didn't realize there were so many frustrated artists here...

[jenius]

hmmmm if not that then what should this thread be for? News?? Ha!

[Marzan]

hmmmm if not that then what should this thread be for? News?? Ha!

Ha ha. So true.

[Gubaba]

hmmmm if not that then what should this thread be for? News?? Ha!

Hmmm. Good point.

[wm cheng]

Has anyone wrote the director about these concerns? He might not even be aware of Macross as its own separate entity. The e-mail may never get to him, but you never know unless you try?

[Dynaman]

Has anyone wrote the director about these concerns? He might not even be aware of Macross as its own separate entity. The e-mail may never get to him, but you never know unless you try?

Considering his resume I don't think he will care - this is his shot to direct a movie rather then just commercials.

[slaginpit]

I hope (and expect) they mix the chapters (Macross Saga with Masters/New Gen) hard because Robotech as an original story derives most of its originality from the stuff they had to come up with to glue the three separate animes together. One would think they would have mixed the stories together more if they were doing their own animation and doing a fresh movie creates the opportunity for that to happen. As for size, twice the size of a normal man seems like it could be made pretty intimidating without seeming outlandish and would allow the production of the movie to use more items that are scaled for your every day human. I also think back to those outlandish last episodes where the Zentraedi use forks to imprison people and smoke giant cigars and eat giant turkey legs and cringe. To Azrael's point (I think), they could just elect to have all the aliens be the average human and model them entirely after the Masters. I prefer to think of a Masters Zentraedi hybrid though and leave the true 'Masters' as the bad guy for an episode 2 (that would obviously take a miracle to get made).

Here are more (not-so) bold predictions for you:

1) If there is a Ben Dixon, or Ben Dixon like character, he will now be black.

2) If there is a Claudia Grant, or Claudia Grant-like character, she will now be latina

3) Gloval will still smoke cigars and get yelled at for it

4) The enemy mecha will be horrible looking and universally panned

5) Protoculture will be renamed "Bioculture" and be defined as only an energy source, nothing else. All Earth mecha will run off big bioculture batteries. Bioculture will be the B in HBT which will be stamped on all the batteries.

It'd be the SDF-1 in spirit, not name. They could give it some new gimmick to compensate for the lack of transformation. Using the ship as a battering ram and then blasting the enemy could be a key ingredient in the climax of the film.

I agree They dont have to be uber giants but 8-9 feet tall is more in line with intimidating. They were also green and full of mechanical enhancements like the borg so that could work too. As for important elements it must contain to be relevant to the macross community, I think it requires these top ten

1) Some type of veritech

2) Zentradi

3) SDF-1 that can transform.

4) Rick Hunter

5) Bridge Bunnies

6) Fold technology

7) Macross City

Zent Capital ships that open wide for mega cannons.

9) Some back story on SDF-1/Zent/Mel Creators

10) Planned Human Space Migration

This will basically capture the essence of Macross. It opens up to squeals as well

[EXO]

zzzzzzz... I bet the people on this whole thread has the movie more fleshed out than the actual people working on it.

Lawrence Kasdan's script of the Robotech movie:

All work an d no play makes Jack Archer a dll boy.

All work and no plya makes Jack Archer a dull boy.

\All wr k and no paly makes Jack Arche r a dull boy.

All work and no Play makes Jack Archer a dull boy.

All work and no play makes Jack Archer a dull boy.

All wor k and no play makes Jack Arc her a dull boy.

All work and no play makes Jack Archer a dull boy.

All work and n o play makes Jack Archer a dull boy.

All work and no play akes Jack Arche a dull boy.

All work and no play makesJack Archer a dull boy.

Al l work and no play makes Jack Archer a dull boy.

....

[azrael]

zzzzzzz... I bet the people on this whole thread has the movie more fleshed out than the actual people working on it.

And that's why I'm not giving out any ideas. If they want ideas, they'll have to pay me before I release them to the public.

[jenius]

And that's why I'm not giving out any ideas. If they want ideas, they'll have to pay me before I release them to the public.

But since that's not going to happen, why not have some fun with it?

1) Some type of veritech

2) Zentradi

3) SDF-1 that can transform.

4) Rick Hunter

5) Bridge Bunnies

6) Fold technology

7) Macross City

Zent Capital ships that open wide for mega cannons.

9) Some back story on SDF-1/Zent/Mel Creators

10) Planned Human Space Migration

Some of that is a little too Macross and not enough Macross Saga (Robotech). Like item 10, in Robotech that didn't happen. In Robotech, things are more clunky but the gyst of it is that Exedore tells Gloval that the Masters will pursue humanity so Gloval says "F it, I have surprise on my side, I'm going to gather a human force combined with some of our Zentraedi comrades and go to the Masters home world and let them be the ones to experience the collateral damage." Then Gloval and the SDF-2 get destroyed by Khyron so they create an SDF-3 in orbit and I think Rick is or Lisa is made the captain of it.

Here's another bold prediction for you: Gloval will be replaced by Admiral Jackson and he'll be played by none other than a cigar smoking Samuel L Jackson.