As previously reported, Sydney Sweeney is set to star in “Gundam,” adapted from the Japanese sci-fi franchise centered on giant robots. Noah Centineo will be her co-star. The film appears to be moving quickly, as a major player has now stepped in to join the project.
Netflix has reportedly acquired “Gundam,” with plans to distribute the film. Given that it doesn’t sound like a potential Oscar contender in the slightest, it’s reasonable to assume the movie will skip a theatrical run and head straight to streaming.
The live-action “Gundam” adaptation was first announced years ago, with an earlier incarnation of the project in development at Netflix as far back as 2021 and director Jordan Vogt-Roberts attached. By late 2024, however, Netflix had exited the project, and Vogt-Roberts subsequently stepped away. Now, the film appears to have come full circle, with the streamer once again backing the adaptation — perhaps this time drawn in by Sydney Sweeney’s involvement.
“Gundam” is widely regarded as a cornerstone of anime history and helped define and popularize the science-fiction genre focused on colossal, piloted machines. The franchise began in 1979, created by director Yoshiyuki Tomino, and has since grown into a global phenomenon encompassing more than 80 animated television series and films. It has also become a merchandising powerhouse, generating roughly $600M in annual revenue.
Jim Mickle (“Cold in July”) has been tapped to write and direct the upcoming “Gundam” movie. Mickle’s coming off his well-received run as the showrunner and director of Netflix’s “Sweet Tooth” — a genre‑bending series that earned strong reviews and multiple Emmy nominations.
It’s still unclear when production might begin. Sweeney is set to shoot Colman Domingo’s “Scandalous!” this month, and her sequel to “The Housemaid” is expected to enter production in the spring. As a result, “Gundam” may be looking at a mid-to-late 2026 start date.
It’s been a wild 2025 for Sweeney. Following backlash over her “Great Genes” ad and speculation about her political views, along with the box-office failure of her “Christy” biopic, some were quick to write off her career. However, she staged a major comeback in December with “The Housemaid,” a piece of trashy, mid-budget entertainment that somehow defied expectations and grossed more than $300M worldwide.
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