‘It’ Director Andres Muschietti to Helm Live-Action ‘Robotech’ Movie

Andres Muschietti is really giving another meaning to “It director.” The filmmaker behind the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King’s classic horror novel recently signed on to replace Scott Derrickson at the helm of Hulu’s Locke & Key pilot, but that’s not the only project on his plate: Sony has reportedly tapped Muschietti to direct their long-developing, live-action Robotech movie.

THR reports that Muschietti has signed on to direct Sony’s film adaptation of the popular animated series from the ’80s, in which humans fight alien invaders using giant robots created from the dismantled remains of a spaceship that crash-landed on Earth. (A similar concept was recently used as a plot point in Independence Day: Resurgence.) Robotech took footage from three different Japanese anime series and re-edited it with new dialogue for US audiences, not entirely unlike Power Rangers.

Sony has yet to hire a writer for the Robotech movie, but Muschietti and his creative partner Barbara Muschietti will reportedly help out in that regard. Things are getting pretty busy for Muschietti, whose new adaptation of Stephen King’s It hits theaters in September and is intended as the first in a two-part series. Despite recent rumors to the contrary, Muschietti has not yet begun production on the sequel, nor is it mentioned in THR’s report — which comes less than a week after Muschietti signed on to replace Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson at the helm of the Locke & Key pilot, Hulu’s adaptation of the graphic novel series by horror author Joe Hill (who also happens to be Stephen King’s son).

While Locke & Key may not take up too much of Muschietti’s time, Robotech — which, yes, is sort of like Pacific Rim — is a fairly ambitious blockbuster project with franchise potential, and that’s definitely going to keep Muschietti occupied for a good, long while. However, since Robotech doesn’t have a script just yet, the director may still have a little time to squeeze the It sequel into his schedule.