Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo cast in Netflix live action 'Gundam' film

Gundam, the iconic franchise that launched a global phenomenon, is now in production.

The live-action film starring Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo follows rival mech pilots at war across Earth and its space colonies. pic.twitter.com/JGhKyGYzKQ

Filming began on April 20 in Australia, marking a significant step for a project that has been in development since 2018. The film will present a new original story within the Gundam universe rather than adapting an existing manga or series.

The Gundam franchise originated with Mobile Suit Gundam and has since expanded into more than 50 television series and films across multiple timelines.

The story traditionally centres on conflicts between Earth and space colonies, with battles fought using large robotic suits known as mobile suits.

Netflix also released a synopsis for the upcoming film, stating, “As shifting allegiances and a growing threat set them on a collision course for one another. They’re pulled into a high-stakes race across the stars that could define the fate of humanity. With awe-inspiring battles, intimate human emotion, and an epic cinematic scale, this is Gundam like it’s been seen before.”

The film is directed by Jim Mickle and features a wider cast including Jason Isaacs, Javon Walton, Michael Mando and Nonso Anozie.

Centineo commented on the project in a previous interview, saying, “It’s going to be huge, Jim Mickle our director, he’s all heart, he’s so sensitive and he builds these wonderful massive worlds. I’ve seen some of the previs and I’ve seen what he’s trying to do and looking to do and it’s very exciting. Sydney’s so sweet and she’s giving everything she’s got to this and I’m really excited to get out there and do this with her.”

The live-action Gundam film will be released on Netflix, though a release date has not yet been announced.