‘Wonder Woman’ Writer Jason Fuchs Will Tackle ‘Robotech’ for Sony
Let’s roleplay for a moment, you and I. A year ago, I tell you that Sony Pictures is giving millions of dollars to the screenwriter of Pan and the director of Mama to make a blockbuster summer movie. Furthermore, this super-expensive movie will be based on a popular animated television series from the 1980s. What is your gut reaction? Are you surprised? Dismayed? Cautiously optimistic? Now what if I tell you the exact same thing, but instead of Pan and Mama, I mention Wonder Woman and It, two of the most critically and commercial successful movies of 2017. Just goes to show you how much things can change in Hollywood over just a few months.
Earlier today, Deadline announced that Sony has tasked Wonder Woman and Pan screenwriter Jason Fuchs with bringing popular 1980s animated television series Robotech to the big screen. The film, which had already procured filmmaker-of-the-month Andy Muschietti as its director, has no release date or production schedule in place, although Muschietti has said he will definitely be directing It: Chapter Two before he picks up Robotech. And with New Line currently aiming for a 2019 release date for It: Chapter Two, that means that Robotech could be a 2020 or later project. No rush on this one, Fuchs. You’ve got some time to watch all 85 episodes of the original series.
With Fuchs and Muschietti now attached, Robotech suddenly has some of the hottest talents of the year behind it, and that bodes well for their ability to actually kick off production on the darn thing. Compare this to Akira, which recently lost Jordan Peele as a rumored director and is now back in the Hollywood purgatory it’s called home for years. Keep an eye on Muschietti’s involvement going forward, however: now that the filmmaker has a bonafide commercial success on his hands, he may find himself enticed by another project or unwilling to budget on his It: Chapter Two timeline. Fuchs, however? Dude got added way late after Wonder Woman came out. He’s committed for the long haul.