Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Gundam’: Everything We Know About the Sci-Fi Action Reboot

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The live-action Gundam movie, which has been in the works for years, is finally moving forward quickly. The project, first announced in 2018, has gone through many changes – including shifts in studios, writers, producers, cast, and distribution. However, since March 2025, Sydney Sweeney, the star of The Housemaid, has been a consistent presence, leading the cast of this new Gundam film.

After a break of about 18 months, Netflix is moving forward with the live-action Gundam series, and new cast members have been announced. The project is a collaboration with Legendary Pictures, and fans are eager to see if this movie – based on the hugely popular giant robot franchise – will get a proper theatrical release, including IMAX, or if Netflix will stick to streaming it. Regardless, details about the launch are starting to emerge. Here’s a rundown of everything we know so far about Gundam, including the story, the creative team, and release plans.

What is ‘Gundam’ About?

Gundam is a huge science fiction franchise created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise Studio, beginning with the 1979 anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. It’s considered the most influential anime featuring giant robots, or ‘mechas,’ and has grown into a massive collection of over 50 films, TV series, comics, books, video games, and toys.

The Gundam series, with all its different stories and variations, is fundamentally about the conflict between Earth and the independent space colonies. It centers around young pilots who control massive, robotic war machines called Mobile Suits, giving them a crucial edge in battle.

The new Gundam film, featuring Sydney Sweeney, will be set in the established Universal Century storyline. The movie is expected to be a romantic story, similar to Romeo and Juliet, about a forbidden love that unfolds amidst an ongoing war between Earth and its powerful space colonies.

Okay, so we don’t know much about Sweeney’s character yet, but I’m guessing she’ll be one of the main love interests. You know how these things go – she’ll probably end up falling for someone on the opposite side of the conflict, which will make things super complicated as war looms. Honestly, the folks behind this Gundam project are keeping everything pretty close to the vest, and I think that’s intentional – they want to keep the plot surprises coming!

‘Gundam’ Returns To Netflix Following a Brief Exit

In 2018 at Anime Expo, Sunrise and Legendary Pictures revealed they were making a live-action Gundam movie. Brian K. Vaughan, known for his work on Lost and Under the Dome, joined the project in March 2019 to write the script and serve as an executive producer. Then, in April 2021, Netflix took charge of the film and chose Jordan Vogt-Roberts, the director of Kong: Skull Island, to direct.

So, the big news is Jim Mickle, who did a fantastic job with Sweet Tooth, took over the Gundam project from Vogt-Roberts back in October 2024. It was a three-year process to get here! What’s really interesting, though, is that even after Netflix decided to step away from Gundam, Mickle stayed on board to write and direct. That shows some serious dedication to the source material, and I’m really curious to see what he brings to it.

In January 2026, Netflix and Legendary Pictures announced they were teaming up to create a new Gundam movie. Unlike most blockbusters, Netflix plans to release it directly on its streaming service, skipping movie theaters altogether. This raises a question: what’s the point of making a large-scale, expensive robot movie if it won’t be shown in cinemas?

Who Will Co-Star with Sydney Sweeney in the Live-Action ‘Gundam’ Movie?

Sydney Sweeney is confirmed to lead the upcoming Gundam film, set to release in March 2025, and now the rest of the cast is starting to come together. In September 2025, discussions were underway for Drew Starkey (known from Love, Simon) and singer Benson Boone to join her in the movie.

By November 2025, Starkey had left the project, and Noah Centineo was cast in his place. Centineo, known for starring in the Netflix series The Recruit before its cancellation, will play the love interest alongside Sydney Sweeney in Gundam. Details about his role are currently being kept secret.

In March 2026, Deadline announced that Michael Mando, known for his role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, would be joining the cast of Gundam, though his specific role hasn’t been revealed. He’ll be acting alongside Shioli Kutsuna, from the Deadpool movies, who also has an undisclosed role. The announcement also confirmed that Jason Clarke, previously set to star in Gundam, is no longer part of the film.

Mando is well-known for his role as Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul, but he also played Mac Gargan (Scorpion) in Spider-Man: Homecoming and will appear in the upcoming Brand New Day. He’s also known for voicing Vaas Montenegro in the Far Cry video games and for his role as Vic in Orphan Black. Meanwhile, Kutsuna is recognized for playing Yukio in both Deadpool 2 and the new Deadpool & Wolverine film. He’s also appeared in The Invasion, Sanctuary, Murder Mystery, and Eugene the Marine.

When Will ‘Gundam’ Be Released On Netflix?

Jim Mickle is writing and directing the upcoming Gundam film, which is scheduled to start filming in Australia in April 2026. While it’s hard to say exactly when it will be released, the current plan is to release it directly to Netflix, skipping a traditional movie theater release. This might be frustrating for dedicated Gundam fans, as the series is known for its spectacular visuals that would be best experienced on a large screen.

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2026-03-30 01:19