GAIKIN and the SHOGUN WARRIORS Film Adaptation is in Development with Teaser Footage
For those of you who don't know, The Shogun Warriors is a line of imported Japanese toy robots that were licensed by Mattel during the late 1970's. They were based on the popular robot anime shows during that time. The most popular robot from this series of toys was Gaiking. Gaiking was one of the more awesome Shoguns, with the animal skull face on his chest. Rockets shot from his eyes and his chest while a shooting fist rounded out the arsenal. These toys were actually before my time, but as a guy that loves toys and grew up around them, this is a line I am definitely familiar with.
Now according to AICN the Shogun Warriors toy line is actually in the process of being developed for a full length feature film! They got the news from visual effects artist Jules Urback who worked on David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Apparently he showed some stuff to James Cameron and David Fincher and they decided they wanted to make Gaiking/Shogun Warriors a part of Fincher's new Heavy Metal film project. It was supposed to be a seven minute short film. As they started working on developing the short, it got into heavy development, their work got noticed and Urbach started acquiring the rights to multiple characters so that he could eventually make a feature film.
The film is being directed by Matthew Gratzner, and it looks like this thing is going to be epic. Gratzner is a visual effects designer who has worked on films such as Shutter Island, The Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Aviator, Superman Return, Alien Resurrection and several more.
There's no doubt this film is going to look amazing! But like all movies the story is key. Fincher even told Urback he has to make sure they tell a great story, above and beyond what great tech they use for the robots. Which I couldn't agree with more. Harry from AICN responded to this bit of advice with a "sigh." Really a sigh!? Does Harry have no respect for how important a story is to a film? Now just because a movie is going to look epically awesome doesn't mean the story is going to be good. You can't just sigh at the story of a film! It's the heart and soul of the movie for cryin-out-loud! He even uses Guillermo del Toro as an example, and I'm not sure why because del Toro is a fantastic story teller that plans his shoots very carefully. Luckily the people creating this movie are taking what Fincher told them to heart.
Here is what they have planned for Shogun Warriors.
We are building the robots life size. Matt is one of the last great practical effects guys in the business who can pull this off. The teaser we have now is CG for the robot. It is to give the fans a taste of the design we are going with, but it is not a true reveal given what we are going to be doing when we build the thing. The real deal is going to be mind blowing of course.
Did he just say teaser trailer? Why yes he did! Wanna watch it? Here ya go! And prepare to be blown away with excitement because this movie looks like it's gonna be incredible!
How freakin' amazing did that look! Now just so you know, this movie is really being made. They have the funding. With it, they will build the life size robots, they will then scan the life size scale robot in the computer at full scale resolution, then they will bring the robots to life. It's an insane way to do it, but damn oh damn I can't wait! This movie will possibly melt our brains. Why are they building the robots in life size scale? Why the hell not!? They have their technical reasons, but they're building a giant life size robot! Don't question it!
Here is a description of the story that was developed around the toys. I imagine the movie will somewhat follow it.
The planet Zera is a highly advanced technological civilization but was helpless against the power of a black hole that consumed their planet. Led the Black Darius, the Zerans under the guidance of the four generals of death plan to immigrate to a new planet to preserve their way of life. That planet just happens to be Earth. With the aid of some runaway aliens, Dr. Daimonji was given the knowhow to produce Gaiking, a super robot system in the shape of a dragon that would be prepared for the coming Zeran invasion. Ace baseball pitcher Sanshiro Tsuwabuki was targeted by the Zerans who saw him as a potential threat, wounding his pitching arm and ending his career. However, his skills will become useful when Dr. Daimonji recruits him to be the pilot of Gaiking in the fight to protect Earth.
The one thing we do know about the film's story is that it will not only take place on Earth, but other planets as well. It will also include more Shogun Robots than what the Marvel comic book had.
I don't think it's hit me yet that this movie is really going to happen even though all the proof is there. I am incredibly excited about it and I can't wait to see this Shogun Warrior vision fully realized!
What do you all think about it?