The Live-Action Gundam Film just reached a major milestone in its production. The classic mecha series that changed the way anime is told since 1979 is finally being made in America, and everything seems to be falling into place rather quickly.Netflix has been given the rights to show the Live-Action Gundam Film and will have Sydney Sweeney as the lead role. So, after multiple canceled projects and many different ideas, Legendary Pictures has finally found a place to put the movie on a platform. Jim Mickle, who made Sweet Tooth for Netflix, will be directing and writing the script along with his producing partner, Linda Moran of Nightshade Productions.Gundam Season 1 Episode 1 (Image Source: Studio Sunrise)The Live-Action Gundam Film started development in 2021 at Netflix with director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island), but that version didn't come together since both the streamer and Vogt-Roberts have moved on from that project. Luckily, it looks like this new version of the film is moving forward with a new creative team and studio support.Jim Mickle will be both writing and directing this ambitious adaptation of Gundam. Mickle has shown that he is a superb storyteller by adapting Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth comic series for Netflix. He is also serving as a producer along with his wife, Linda Moran, through their production company, Nightshade.Sydney Sweeney Leads Star-Studded Cast in Live-Action Gundam FilmSydney Sweeney (Image Source: YouTube)With Sydney Sweeney's impressive box office totals for The Housemaid, where she earned more than $300M globally, there really aren't many bigger stars currently than her. Sydney has shown an extensive range of talent through her works, too. Everything from thriller movies to action films that she has worked on has captured audiences. With her joining the cast of the Live-Action Gundam Film, it is likely her presence will help bring Netflix back to the negotiating table as they get closer to finalizing a deal.Joining Sydney on the film is Noah Centineo, who is playing Ken Masters in the live-action Street Fighter movie coming later this year. The additional cast members consist of Drew Starkey from Outer Banks and singer/songwriter Benson Boone. At the end of November, Sydney stated that there was daily movement in the development process of the film.Understanding the Gundam LegacyAmuro Ray and his mecha, RX-78-2 Gundam (Image Source: Studio Sunrise)Most people who aren't familiar with the original source material probably don't realize how much Gundam has impacted anime. The creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino, started the franchise in 1979 with the release of Mobile Suit Gundam, where mobile suits (giant robots) are fighting each other in outer space and doing so using realistic physics and limitations of technology.The Live-Action Gundam Film will be the first time this massive franchise has produced a live-action film, with over 83 animated films and series produced since the beginning. The franchise has generated nearly $600 million in annual merchandise sales alone. The Gundam franchise has created much of the plastic model kit industry that exists today through numerous Gunpla releasesRecent Franchise Success Builds MomentumIt’s a great time to adapt this; Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuuX is the most popular genre of anime television, in all of the anime, for 2025. The original movie was released in January 2025, and it had a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. After that, there were twelve episodes made for television by Studio Khara and Sunrise starting in April, and they were the most-watched anime of 2025.This current success shows how popular this brand has always been, and that there will be a Live-Action Gundam Film to come because fans want more Gundam content.