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Kow Yokoyama's Maschinen Krieger Sci-Fi Franchise Gets Hollywood Film Adaptation

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog reported on Wednesday that producers Roy Lee (It) and Scott Bernstein are producing a Hollywood film adaptation of Kow Yokoyama's Maschinen Krieger ZbV3000 franchise. Yokoyama, Kevin Munroe, Rick Privman, and Yumiko Miyano will be executive producers on the project.

Kow Yokoyama created the universe alongside Hiroshi Ichimura and Kunitaka Imai. The universe began with the SF3D manga in Hobby Japan magazine in the early 1980s. Yokoyama, Ichimura, and Imai also designed plastic models for the story's machines — such as military aircraft, tanks, and powered armor infantry — and photos of the models ran alongside the story in the magazine.

The story is set after a nuclear world war in the near future renders Earth uninhabitable, with survivors taking to space. After half a century, the Federation returns to the now habitable Earth, and its recolonization effort also attracts outcast elements from all over the galaxy. Civil unrest and resentment rise in Earth after the Federation resorts to more draconian measures to restore order, and an independence movement finally arises composed of colonist militiamen, mercenary units, and defectors.

The universe has inspired numerous model kits, toys, universe sourcebooks, and a short film by Tsuburaya Productions.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter via Dark Horizons