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Noah Centineo is reportedly considering joining the cast of Gundam, Legendary’s live-action adaptation of the anime about giant robots known as mechas. If the talks come to fruition, he would be co-starring with Sydney Sweeney, who has been on board since earlier in the year.
The yet-untitled Gundam movie is being directed by Jim Mickle, who also wrote the script. Mickle also created Sweet Tooth for Netflix, an adaptation of Jeff Lemire’s Vertigo series. He will be producing the new sci-fi movie with his partner Linda Moran through their production company Nightshade.
Legendary, which has offered no comment on the development, had earlier been considering Drew Starkey for the role. Starkey is known for his performance in Outer Banks.
Originally released in 1979, the Gundam series was developed by Yoshiyuki Tomino and now encompasses 83 animated titles and a merchandising effort that generates $600 million per year. The action unfolds in a futuristic universe in which many earthlings have colonized outer space only to ultimately attack their planet of origin with the mechas they’ve created.
Centineo had earlier appeared in Netflix’s romantic drama To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, in New Line’s Black Adam. and in A24’s action flick Warfare. He just completed shooting on another Legendary film, Street Fighter, which will be released in 2026. The actor is also committed to appearing in a new Lionsgate prequel to Rambo, which will begin shooting in a few months, and in Iconoclast, directed by Gabriel Basso.
In 2021, Legendary Entertainment had originally planned to create a Gundam film under the direction of Jordan Vogt-Roberts, but he is no longer attached to the project.
There is also a romantic subtext here. Boris Kyt wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that the Gundam project is “centered on a character played by Sweeney and sources say the actress is very much involved in the casting of those opposite her. In Gundam, her character and the male lead are, in the vein of Romeo & Juliet, on opposite sides of a war between planets who find a connection.”