Gundam: Legendary’s Live-Action Adaptation To Be Penned By Brian K. Vaughn

The award-winning comic book writer behind modern classics such as Y: The Last Man and Saga, Brian K. Vaughn, has signed on to write the screenplay for Legendary Pictures’ forthcoming live-action Gundam movie.

The Gundam franchise has been running since the 1979-1980 animated series Mobile Suit Gundam, and is the most popular science-fiction franchise in the East, worth over $15 billion.

Taking place largely within the so-called Universal Century, the Gundam franchise is a space opera often described as Japan’s answer to Star Wars.

The original Mobile Suit Gundam, which Brian K. Vaughn is said to be partially adapting for Legendary’s feature film, was set in a far-flung alternate future and focused on the civil war between the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation. The war saw the space-faring Zeon piloting armoured robotic weapons known as Mobile Suits, which led to the Earth Federation’s deployment of an experimental new robot of their own – the RX-78-2 Gundam. The series follows as young Amaro Ray becomes the accidental pilot of the Gundam, and explores the horrors and realities of war through his young eyes, all against the backdrop of intense and brutal mecha battles.

The franchise is the 15th highest-grossing multimedia series in the world, and will celebrate its 40th Anniversary this year. No release date has yet been set by Legendary for their live-action feature film. Vaughn is presently working on FX’s adaptation of Y: The Last Man, on which he executive produces.