After two years of speculation, Amazon MGM Studios has finally announced that it’s moving forward with a feature film based on World Events Productions’ iconic Voltron franchise. 

The studio picked up live-action theatrical rights to the IP in 2022, but production details have been kept under wraps until now. Rawson Marshall Thurber (Red Notice, Skyscraper) is confirmed to direct and has also co-written the movie’s script with Ellen Shanman. And filming is scheduled to begin in Australia in a matter of weeks. 

The project has locked in some key talent as well, with former Man of Steel Henry Cavill committed to headline the film, though it’s still unclear whether he will be leading Team Voltron or the forces of evil.

Voltron: Defender of the Universe made its debut on US TV screens in 1984 as a heavily edited and rewritten adaptation of Toei Animation’s Beast King GoLion anime series. Its core premise was about the cosmic adventures of several young pilots from Earth who commanded five ancient lion robots that could combine to form the giant mechabot Voltron. Together, they fought to save the universe from being enslaved by the tyrannical Galra Empire and its legions of robeasts. 

From this starting point, there were multiple reboots over the years to introduce the franchise to new generations of fans, including Voltron: The Third Dimension (1998), Nickelodeon’s Voltron Force (2011) and Netflix’s Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016).