The live-action adaptation to the popular 80s cartoon Voltron is a big, special effects-laden action adventure that’s ripe for IMAX screens. However, according to MovieWeb, Amazon will be bypassing a theatrical run and will have the Rawson Marshall Thurber-directed movie premiere on Prime Video directly. Amazon MGM announced the update as part of their upcoming slate at Amazon Upfront.
Fans react on social media, saying that the news is “genuinely disappointing.” Many felt that the film had “real theatrical potential….A massive sci-fi spectacle that could’ve brought audiences together on the big screen.” Others have called the decision a “serious mistake,” and simply stated “this hurts.” Some fans have speculated, “so it sucks.”
The film stars Henry Cavill (The Witcher), Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), Rita Ora (Fifty Shades of Grey), John Kim (The Last Thing He Told Me), Alba Baptista (Warrior Nun), Samson Kayo (The Bubble), Tharanya Tharan (Year Of), and newcomer Daniel Quinn-Toye, who served as Tom Holland’s understudy in the West End production of Romeo and Juliet and also played Paris, a suitor of Juliet.
While addressing the crowd at VoltCon in Indianapolis via video, Thurber said, “I want to make sure that we stay true to the heart and the spirit of Voltron. In this film, we’re going to be introducing an entirely new generation of pilots. We’ve reimagined Voltron for the live-action world, but we’re going to stay true to…those iconic elements that you love, that I love.”
Voltron is being produced by Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman, along with the aforementioned Bob Koplar, who is the head of World Events Productions and owner of the Voltron IP.
Based on the Japanese sci-fi series Beast King GoLion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV, Voltron centers around five young pilots whose vehicles join together to form the towering mech known as Voltron. The classic TV show was edited together from several Japanese anime series and originally ran in the mid-80s. Voltron spawned several sequel series, including Voltron: Legendary Defender, which spanned eight seasons on Netflix. Thurber has written the screenplay for the film with Ellen Shanman.