SDCC 2011: VOLTRON Live-Action Film Battles Way Out of Development Hell With Relativity Media and Atlas Entertainment

Back in the fall of 2009, we told you about the emergence of a live-action Voltron movie by Atlas Entertainmentbased on the 1980’s cartoon series . The project has been floundering in Hollywood’s “development-hell” for years with various wishful producers seeking to revive the robot defender of the universe.

After a tussle over the rights over the television property and a bidding war between Relativity Media and Atlas Entertainment, the dust has finally settled to land the project to be developed by both Relativity and Atlas. Atlas’ Charles Roven (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight) and Richard Suckle (The International) and Kickstart Entertainment’s Jason Netter (Voltron Force, Wanted) will produce the project. Ted Koplar (Voltron Force) of World Event Productions, who sold the feature film rights, will executive produce. Conan: The Barbarian scribes Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer will work on the script.

Via press release, Relativity announced a proud kick-off to the project during 2011 San Diego Comic-Con:

Relativity Media and Atlas Entertainment to Bring Voltron to Big Screen

Studio options feature film rights from World Event Productions

(Beverly Hills, CA) July 21, 2011 – Relativity Media’s President of Worldwide Production Tucker Tooley announced today the studio has optioned the feature film rights for Voltron™ from World Event Productions, and will adapt the live-action big screen version from the 1984 cult-classic animated series Voltron: Defender of the Universe™. The project was brought to Relativity through their deal with Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, whose company will shepherd the project.

In Voltron™, an elite battle force defends the fate of mankind in the spectacular action adventure. Five young warriors are responsible for the future of the galaxy when they become pilots of a battalion of ultra-high-tech Robot Lions, powerful vessels with the ability to join together to form a fearsome mega-weapon known as “Voltron”.

The original series, based on the Japanese anime properties Beast King GoLion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV, aired in the United States for two years and has been described as an “international pop-culture hit” that has garnered a large following over the last 25 years. In recent years, the Voltron™ property has sold over 300,000 DVDs, established numerous apparel and consumer product deals and has spawned a highly-successful TV series, Voltron Force™, which became Nicktoon’s highest-rated debut ever on June 16, 2011. Voltron™ will be making its first-ever panel debut at Comic-Con International in San Diego on Thursday, July 21 where they will feature a presentation of all-new and classic Voltron™ content.

The live-action film will be produced by Atlas Entertainment’s Roven (The Dark Knight) and Richard Suckle (The International), along with Kickstart Entertainment’s Jason Netter (Wanted). World Events Productions’ Ted Koplar (Voltron Force) will executive produce. The script is being penned by Thomas Dean Donnelly (Conan the Barbarian) and Joshua Oppenheimer (Sahara).

Tooley said, “For nearly three decades, Voltron™ has captured the minds of a nostalgically loyal and rabid fan base and has long been considered a hotly-pursued project. We are beyond excited World Event Productions and Atlas Entertainment have placed their trust and faith in Relativity to bring this coveted property to the big screen, and usher in a new generation of devoted fans.” Tooley added, “With Chuck and Richard’s experience producing tentpoles, they are the perfect producers to bring this potential franchise to theaters.”

Roven, co-founder, Atlas Entertainment said, “It’s incredibly gratifying to officially announce the development of the live-action Voltron™ movie this week, given its recent resurgence and the start of Comic-Con.”

Suckle, producer, Atlas Entertainment added, “I know there’s been a lot of rumors and speculation about this movie, so it’s great to finally confirm to all the Voltron™ fans everywhere that we’re coming for them.”

World Events Productions was represented in the deal by UTA.

Looking ahead, Relativity will release David Ellis’ Shark Night 3D on September 2, 2011, followed by Marc Forster’s Machine Gun Preacher on September 23, 2011, then the highly-anticipated Immortals on November 11, 2011, starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans and Kellan Lutz with John Hurt and Mickey Rourke. The studio is in production on its Untitled Snow White Project (in theatres March 16, 2012), starring Lily Collins as Snow White, Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts as the evil Queen, Armie Hammer as Prince Andrew Alcott, and Nathan Lane as the hapless and bungling servant to the Queen. Relativity’s expansive 2012 slate also includes Haywire (in theatres January 20, 2012), Act of Valor (in theatres February 17, 2012), The Raven (in theatres March 9, 2012), Untitled Farrelly/Wessler Project (in theatres April 13, 2012), House at the End of the Street (in theatres April 20, 2012), Safe Haven (in theatres June 1, 2012) and Hunter Killer (in theatres December 21, 2012).

The gears are definitely rollin’ to tug on the nostalgic geek hearts of fans of the piloted five-lions that transform into a mighty robot, loved by good and feared by evil:

Voltron Force is an animated series based on the original cartoon on Nicktoons that premiered this past month in June of 2011 (on Thursdays at 8:30 EST.)
There’s a video game from THQ in the works called Voltron: Defender of the Universe that you can co-op play with four friends to form Voltron slated for October.
Dynamite Entertainment is also publishing “a classic comic series that is a celebration of the original cartoon”.
VIZ Media is working on a graphic novel spinning off of Voltron Force.

[Above: Nicktoons animated series Voltron: Force]

And… wait for it… Voltron toys are once again being made! Mattel will be making toys that update the original Voltron toys and are also producing a line for the newer Voltron Force. Check out these preview pics of the Voltron toys at 2011 San Diego Comic-Con via Toy News International:

[Click images to blow sh!t up]