Noah Centineo In Talks to Join Sydney Sweeney in Live Action Film Adaptation of 'Gundam' Anime

The Recruit and To All The Boys I've Loved Before star Noah Centineo is reportedly in negotiations to join the cast of the live action Gundam movie.

Co-developed by Legendary Pictures, the Bandai Namco-owned intellectual property (IP) is getting a Hollywood film adaptation, with Christy star Sydney Sweeney already in final negotiations to join the project, as previously reported by Deadline. The film will be the first ever live action entry in the 36-year-old Japanese animation franchise.

Sweet Tooth Showrunner at the Helm

Jim Mickle, who created Netflix's series adaptation of Sweet Tooth, is set to direct and write the 'mecha' movie. He will also produce the project through his production company Nightshade alongside his partner Linda Moran.

Mickle had his directorial feature film debut in 2006 with Mulberry St, a sci-fi horror about a deadly infection that breaks out in Manhattan, New York that turns people into ravenous rat creatures.

Before Mickle signed on to take on the Gundam film, Legendary initially announced its development in 2021 with Netflix, with Jordan Vogt-Roberts attached to direct it. Vogt-Roberts directed Legendary's Kong: Skull Island which came out in 2017.

Centineo's Current and Future Projects

Noah Centineo currently has a few projects lined up, one of them being Legendary's live action film adaptation of the Street Fighter fighting game. The self-titled Street Fighter has wrapped production and is slated for a 16 October 2026 premiere and will be distributed by Paramount.

He has also been casted in Lionsgate's Rambo prequel, with a target production date of early 2026. He will also be a part of The Night Agent star Gabriel Basso's directorial debut Iconoclast alongside Rain Spencer, Courtney Eaton, and Basso himself.

Prior to Street Fighter, Centineo starred in A24's true story action feature Warfare with fellow Netflix alums Joseph Quinn and Kit Connor, as well as Shogun's Cosmo Jarvis and Guardians of the Galaxy's Will Poulter.

The addition of another potential blockbuster film in his resumé will guarantee to boost his already rising career.

What is Known About Gundam So Far

The plot for the live action sci-fi film is still under wraps, but sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter that Sweeney is 'very much involved' in the casting for the characters opposite hers. The story will reportedly be about her character and a male character who found a connection in an ongoing war between their planets.

Legendary was also eyeing Queer star Drew Starkey for the male lead role but their talks never bore fruit.

The Gundam Franchise

Gundam is an anime about giant fighting robots created by Yoshiyuki Tomino that first aired in Japan in 1979 and is a pioneer of the mecha subgenre. Since then, it has expanded into 83 animated series and movies.

Along with its merchandising arm, the long-running franchise earns over £458 million ($600 million) annually.

The anime is set in the Universal Century where humanity have colonised space. A rebellion erupted between Earth and one of its colonies and it is fought by soldiers who pilot massive, mechanised contraptions called 'mobile suits.'

Among the themes explored in Gundam are war, politics, and the use of genetic advancements to weaponise the military.