Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: i09.com / Avery Guerra
If you have been watching any Hollywood movies lately, then you have probably been overwhelmed by the endless parade of films made from existing toy and animation franchises. If you are like me, then you have probably been very disappointed on how these films, more often than not, stray away from the original stories they are based on. That being said, it should come as no surprise that the upcoming film based on the animated series, Robotech (Macross in Japan) seems to be headed in that direction.
As of this point the film doesn't have a script, but producer Chuck Roven his hinted in an interview with IESB that an alien invasion is the "triggering event" for the movie's plot. Now anyone who has ever seen Robotech knows that in the original story the crash landing of an alien spaceship brings the end of world-wide war and unites everyone in an attempt to ward off a possible invasion. Not the other way around.
From Roven's statements it can be deduced that either, he is ignorant to the original "Robotech" series plot, or it has been changed for the movie. Either way, it isn't a good sign.
Roven also mention in his interview that the production will be "reasonably faithful" to the look of the original animated series.
You can look at that statement and interpret it to say that things are going to look a lot different. I just hope that they aren't pulling a "Battlestar Galactica" and keeping the design of one ship and redesigning everything else!
It has also come to light that Tobey Maguire is staying on as a producer on the film, but since he has signed on for two more Spider-Man films, it is unlikely that he will climb into the cockpit as Rick Hunter.
The only bright spot in all of this is that screenwriter Lawrance Kasdan has signed on to write the script for the film. Kasden has written screenplays for some of the most popular sci fi and fantasy movies of all time. His list of credits include, "The Empire Strikes Back", Return of the Jedi", and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Hopefully Kasden will be able to keep the story "on track" and in line with the original "Robotech" series.
See Also: Tony Oliver To Host Voice Acting Class For Bang Zoom / Tobey Maguire Reportedly Signing On For Spider-Man 4 And 5 / The Robotech Prayer / The Power Of The Force Will Be Used To Write The Robotech Movie Script / Fox Gives Green Light To A Live-Action Cowboy Bebop Movie / Kikô sôseiki Mospeada (1983-84)(TV) / The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Most likely the change in plot is to dissociate it from recognisable plot elements of the Japanese franchise Macross, on which the first Chapter of Robotech was based. There are ongoing licensing and IP issues surrounding this material. Also, plot changes in Robotech, especially the change of the meaning of the word "Protoculture", meant certain scenes and plot elements from Macross became basically random and unrelated (especially noticable the scene in which Dolza the Zentraedi warlord cries "protoculture" on seeing two humans kiss). Also, the SDF-1 is stated as being sized for giants who have never seen human-sized people in both Robotech and Macross, yet it was supposed to be piloted by "Zor" from Robotech series two, who is definitely human sized. These, and other plot absurdities (the American adaptation was aimed at young children, and doesn't hold up to close plot scrutiny) is is all because Robotech was glues together from three unrelated Japanese Anime series (thus why there are no giants in parts 2 and 3, yet giants are allied to humans by the end of part 1).
ReplyDeleteRobotech was hobbled together from 3 different Anime : SDF Macross, SDC Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeada. Many plot points don't hold together, especially the change in meaning of 'protoculture'. Many scenes in Robotech just do not make sense (the scene where the Zentradi overlord cries "protoculture on seeing two humans kiss). Look up Macross vs Robotech continuity for more details. There are good reasons why Robotech the movie cannot follow the original Macross storyline.
ReplyDelete