Where's RoboTech at?

[Hypestyle]

..they could base it on the Macross era.. a trilogy?

characters? actors?
director?

 

[Master Blaster]

As much as I and several other fans would love to see a live-action Robotech movie, I'm afraid the chances of such a thing happening (At least in the near future) are slim to none.

You see Robotech has always had a lot of problems with licenses and legal issues. Before Robotech was created, it was three different Japanese animated television shows. Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeda. Carl Macek and Harmony Gold (The makers of the Robotech saga) where originally going to release them all as separate series in syndication. However, in order to put a show in syndication the show has to have at least 65 episodes. Carl Macek was determined to get these shows on American TV (Especially Macross), so in a rash but noble decision he created an artificial link between the shows by making slight changes in their storylines and editing them to make it look like all the episode were all connected. Thus, the show we know and love as Robotech was born. It was great, however there were some people who didn’t share the same opinion. Namely some of the original Japanese producers who felt that Harmony Gold was stealing credit from them. This feud still continues today.

Because of these all these legal battles, making a live-action Robotech movie would possess a lot of road blocks because I’m sure the original producers of the shows (Macross most of all) would probably strongly oppose it’s development.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well Harmony Gold is already working on a new feature length animated sequel to Shadow Chronicles which is in direct continuity with Robotech.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Yes, even getting Tony Oliver to reprise his role as Rick Hunter. Rumors he may be in it for the sequel as well.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well I hope so, considering at the end of Shadow Chronicles they go on a mission to find Rick Hunter and the SDF-3.

I wonder though. What happened to Lisa (Rick's wife and one of the bridge captains during Robotech), Max and Miriya Sterling though? I think one of the characters in Shadow Chronicles was their daughter and she seemed to hint that her family was missing or on the SDF-3.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Well I hope so, considering at the end of Shadow Chronicles they go on a mission to find Rick Hunter and the SDF-3.

I wonder though. What happened to Lisa (Rick's wife and one of the bridge captains during Robotech), Max and Miriya Sterling though? I think one of the characters in Shadow Chronicles was their daughter and she seemed to hint that her family was missing or on the SDF-3.

Max, Miriya, Lisa and Rick (in addition to some others like Dr. Lang) are all aboard the SDF-3, and are all missing. It's possible the availability of those voice actors will dictate their returns though.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well Cam Clarke still seems to be working pretty regularly. They should really try and get him back as Max.

What happened to Max and Miriya's other daughter that was all grown up and featured after the Macross saga?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Well Cam Clarke still seems to be working pretty regularly. They should really try and get him back as Max.

What happened to Max and Miriya's other daughter that was all grown up and featured after the Macross saga?

Dana Sterling, well I'm sure as you know Jeanne Francaix and Komilia Jenius actually are completely different characters, but the Dana Sterling featured in Southern Cross was in fact raised by the three defecting Zentradi from the original series.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

bumpity

 

[TheVileOne]

But wait, wasn't the daughter in the middle portion of Robotech the daughter of Miriya and Max? And the one in Shadow Chronicles her sister?

So what happened to Dana?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

But wait, wasn't the daughter in the middle portion of Robotech the daughter of Miriya and Max? And the one in Shadow Chronicles her sister?

So what happened to Dana?

Dana is not really Dana. Dana Sterling is just a name Carl Macek (the Producer) gave her to weakly link the three totally unrelated SDF series together in some continuity fashion...so they could be shown over here (you see you need a minimum of 65 episodes to syndicate a foreign toon or something). However since then Robotech and SDF have created their own continuities and Robotech's is still rather messing from all the fanwanking in took to get those three unrelated shows together. In reality Dana Sterling is Jeanne Francaix and has no relation to the Sterlings (Jenius' in Japan).

 

[ShadowBoxing]

I would say
Bryce Dallas Howard (Spider-Man 3) for Lisa Hayes
Emile Hirsch (Girl Next Door) for Rick Hunter
Seth Rogan (Knocked Up) for Ben Dixon
Sam Huntington (Superman Returns) for Max Sterling
Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) for Lynn Minmei (Undecided)
Chris Evans (Fantastic Four 1 and 2) for Roy Focker

 

[TheVileOne]

Dana is not really Dana. Dana Sterling is just a name Carl Macek (the Producer) gave her to weakly link the three totally unrelated SDF series together in some continuity fashion...so they could be shown over here (you see you need a minimum of 65 episodes to syndicate a foreign toon or something). However since then Robotech and SDF have created their own continuities and Robotech's is still rather messing from all the fanwanking in took to get those three unrelated shows together. In reality Dana Sterling is Jeanne Francaix and has no relation to the Sterlings (Jenius' in Japan).

I KNOW that. But for the purpose of ROBOTECH specifically, the character WAS Dana Sterling and the daughter of Max and Miriya. So in THAT version I want to know what Dana's fate was and where is with respects to Shadow Chronicles.

We are talking about the ROBOTECH continuity not the continuity of Macross, Southern Cross, etc.

Also, in Robotech Rick was classified as being half-Asian, so you could concievably get an Asian or Asian American actor to play him. Which I would definitely support. Just not Shia LeBouf.

Chris Evans as Roy Fokker = terrible casting. My ideal choice for Roy would be Christian Bale, or someone like Bale. Roy's got to be an older, mature type of actor and character. Roy for the most part isn't a hot dog. He's a pretty hardened vet that's seen a lot of war and a lot of friends go down. Rick was always more of the hot dog at the start.

Seth Rogen as Ben Dixon works. My other choices would be Kevin James and Patton Oswalt.

Howard as Hayes is OK as long as it's not Jessica Biels or Jessica Alba. Also Scarlett Johannson.

Emile Hirsch would work better for a character like Max Sterling.

You need a younger actress to play Minmei. Teens or early 20's. Minmei was essentially jailbait for most of the show.

Henri Gloval? Gary freaking Oldman.

Claudia - Naomi Harris or Zoe Saldana.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

I KNOW that. But for the purpose of ROBOTECH specifically, the character WAS Dana Sterling and the daughter of Max and Miriya. So in THAT version I want to know what Dana's fate was and where is with respects to Shadow Chronicles.

Oh. Sorry, I did not understand your question. We don't know yet. There is talk about bringing Dana and the 15th in for the sequel, but it's only speculation at this point. Otherwise she is MIA like most of the characters who have been featured over the years in Robotech. The New Generation gives the impression they all died fighting the Invid, but since of course that was never seen it's quiet possible they'd include them. Doesn't seem like getting the voice actors back has been a problem thus far. I got my hopes in in SC when they addressed one soldier as "Grant" thinking it might be Bowie...only to find out it was Vince

Oh and I almost forgot, Louie Nichols is the chief engineer in the movie.

Chris Evans as Roy Fokker = terrible casting. My ideal choice for Roy would be Christian Bale, or someone like Bale. Roy's got to be an older, mature type of actor and character. Roy for the most part isn't a hot dog. He's a pretty hardened vet that's seen a lot of war and a lot of friends go down. Rick was always more of the hot dog at the start.

Roy should be younger than Bale. And I don't agree he is as hardened as you say, he is kind of a smooth talker and is known for being fairly brash and irrational...especially when it comes to gunshot wounds.

Seth Rogen as Ben Dixon works. My other choices would be Kevin James and Patton Oswalt.

Seth is like 22....yeah, really. Kevin James and Patton are way too old. They are suppose to be in that early twenties/late teens area of Rick Hunter.

Howard as Hayes is OK as long as it's not Jessica Biels or Jessica Alba. Also Scarlett Johannson.

Couldn't agree with you more. Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel are so overblown and I could totally see some executive forcing them onto a role like this. Totally would be a downer for the film. Scarlett might work.

Emile Hirsch would work better for a character like Max Sterling.

Well he is playing Speed Racer, so now I am not so sure I want him playing Rick Hunter anyways...it's kind of redundant.

You need a younger actress to play Minmei. Teens or early 20's. Minmei was essentially jailbait for most of the show.

Yeah...I mean they tend to cast those young twenties people to play jailbait...but I don't know many Chinese actresses.

Henri Gloval? Gary freaking Oldman.

Claudia - Naomi Harris or Zoe Saldana.

I could see those.

 

[TheVileOne]

I see no problem with James or Oswalt playing Dixon since actors are playing younger all the time. I see no reason Dixon could be slightly older anyway.

Roy to me is basically all the things Evans isn't. Evans in all his roles to me still comes off as an immature brat. Roy still needs a maturity and a hardness that Evans lacks. Evans has yet to convince me that he has the depth that Roy requires. I honestly can't see Evans playing a big brother/father figure type to anybody.

Bale. The dude has chops. He can handle the brash nature of Roy as well.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

I see no problem with James or Oswalt playing Dixon since actors are playing younger all the time. I see no reason Dixon could be slightly older anyway.

You look for someone within 4 or 5 years of the part they play. Some of those suggestions are 15+ years their senior. Bale has chops for sure, and could conceivably play anyone I'm sure...but I don't see him for Roy. In addition it's overkill for the role, and Roy should definitely be tall and blonde.

I'm really depressed we're the only ones who seem to give a sh** about Robotech.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well you know, I'm not sure Robotech could work today as a live action movie. Chances are producers would hack it up and make all sorts of silly changes.

Then again, that's kind of how Robotech was born.

A Robotech movie for it to be GOOD wouldn't be cheap. And the show itself was popular, but it was popular over 20 years ago. And it's fandom today is basically a cult/niche group.

People might say look at Transformers. But I feel Transformers had a popular that outdid Robotech, and it's managed to last and stay a successful franchise over the years. Or in the least they were able to successfully revamp the show in the 90's and 00's.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Well you know, I'm not sure Robotech could work today as a live action movie. Chances are producers would hack it up and make all sorts of silly changes.

Then again, that's kind of how Robotech was born.

A Robotech movie for it to be GOOD wouldn't be cheap. And the show itself was popular, but it was popular over 20 years ago. And it's fandom today is basically a cult/niche group.

People might say look at Transformers. But I feel Transformers had a popular that outdid Robotech, and it's managed to last and stay a successful franchise over the years. Or in the least they were able to successfully revamp the show in the 90's and 00's.

Oh no, I'm not arguing it's a popular franchise. From what I understand the Official Robotech message board is slow as hell. But, it was a good story, probably the best animated show of the eighties, possibly a contender for the best one of all time. It has great fodder for a movie franchise, especially with movies like Star Wars developing such a huge fanbase. Robotech truly could be a movie that rivals a Star Wars movie in terms of quality and story. It certainly has within it all the character elements and storyline for a trilogy. The love triangle is right up the alley of hollywood producers, it has a strong supporting cast which (as you unintentionally pointed out) is ripe for actor cameos, it has a strong and derivative premise, and better still it has great visuals to please any movie goer. But sadly it is a niche' franchise with only a few loyal followers.

And actually, oddly enough, I am a Transformer fan first and foremost. I know it doesn't compete with that franchise, that much is certain. I've been to enough BotCons to know that. Transformers, while the show (G1) was not in the same league as Robotech, that was part of the problem. Aside the the dollar-yen crash, one of the things that killed Robotech II: The Sentinels was that the original show was so adult that all it's viewers were older and thus grew out of cartoons (and more importantly, toys) by the time they started work on a new one. No audience, no sequel. Today obviously television caters more towards older crowds, with blocks like "Adult Swim" which aim at late teens/early twenties.

So yeah, basically no one remembers, or really cares about Robotech, partially because it was so ahead of it's time. Kids cracked out on sugary cereals were much more enamoured by the plotless toy commercials like Transformers which featured John Wayne style Robots kicking the crap out of each other. Robotech, remember, was a love story. You could sit down and watch it with your girlfriend practically, and kids ultimately I think had a harder time grasping at that show than something a little less heavy.

Anyways thanks for keeping this thread going thus far. I enjoy talking about this show to someone who appretiates it, because no one else seems to.