A live-action Voltron movie is now in development. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Rawson Marshall Thurber, who helmed the hit Netflix film Red Notice, has signed on to co-write and direct a live-action feature based on the popular Voltron franchise. The story is reportedly based on an original pitch by Thurber, though clearly inspired by the anime, and will co-write the script with Ellen Shanman (Crave).
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Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman are producing the feature. Bob Koplar, head of World Events Productions where Voltron comes from, is also producing. Lieberman and Hoberman previously produced the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast and has more recently been working on the upcoming Lionsgate film Shotgun Wedding.
Voltron was popularized stateside in the 1980s when it was introduced as Voltron: Defender of the Universe, an animated series consisting of footage from the Japanese series Beast King GoLion and Kikou Kantai Dairuigger XV. The first season follows five pilots who command five robots that combine to form the titular Voltron. For a time, Voltron was one of the most popular animated shows of the 1980s.
Rawson Marshall Thurber Still Intends to Shoot Two Red Notice Sequels
This news comes after it had been reported that Rawson Marshall Thurber would be developing two sequels to Red Notice for Netflix. What is unclear is if Voltron will take the lead on Thurber’s schedule as his next feature, or if he’ll first be shooting the two Red Notice movies. It’s possible that Netflix could end up competing with whomever lands the Voltron movie for Thurber’s services after the project finds its home. In any case, Red Notice 2 & 3 seem very important to Thurber, and they’re on the way regardless.
Voltron was previously rebooted as an animated series at Netflix in 2016. That followed a previous reboot for NickToons in 2011 and decades of the original version maintaining a cult following through its home video releases. There have been previous attempts to develop a live-action Voltron movie, perhaps inspired by the success of Transformers, but the gears just weren’t able to get turning. At one point, DreamWorks had planned an animated adaptation, but that also ended up falling apart.
“If we were to make a sequel, the only responsible thing would be to make two and three back-to-back,” the director stated of the Red Notice sequels prior to them getting the green light. “It’s such a big production, and if you can mount it one time, it will be better for everyone. Including for my mental health.”
Voltron does not have a release date set at this time.
