Netflix’s Upcoming Gundam Live-Action Film Starring Sydney Sweeney Is Doomed

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The newest season of HBO’s Euphoria really showcases Sydney Sweeney, especially as her character, Cassie Howard, goes through a dramatic and often criticized storyline. The mixed reactions to Season 3 come after the huge success of The Housemaid, a 2025 thriller that earned over $400 million globally, and it emphasizes how people react strongly to Sweeney both in her roles and in her personal life. Her next big project, a starring role in a new Netflix film, could be another risk, but also a big opportunity.

Netflix announced in April that Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo will star in its upcoming live-action Gundam project. However, given Netflix’s history with adapting anime into live-action, there are concerns this new movie may not succeed, despite the popularity of its lead actors.

Netflix’s Upcoming Live-Action Gundam Film Faces a Major Uphill Battle

The new Gundam movie, a collaboration between Legendary Pictures and Bandai Namco Filmworks, marks the first time the popular mecha series has been adapted into a live-action film since G-Saviour came out in Japan in 1999 (and later aired on TV). That earlier attempt wasn’t well-liked by Gundam fans, so this new movie has a lot to live up to.

The new Gundam movie, written and directed by Jim Mickle, will tell an original story with the giant robots and war-ravaged space battles that fans expect. Because Gundam is such a landmark series in the mecha genre, this live-action film is generating a lot of excitement, particularly among viewers who have been hoping for a good adaptation.

Despite recent successes, one hit isn’t enough to make people forget the streamer’s history of failed anime adaptations. The cancellation of the live-action Cowboy Bebop series is a particularly prominent example of a major failure for Netflix in the anime space. After releasing a single 10-episode season in 2021, Netflix decided not to continue with the show. The 2017 American Death Note film also didn’t resonate with anime fans and was considered a disappointment.

It’s unfair to blame streaming services for failures like the live-action versions of Dragon Ball Evolution and the 2017 Ghost in the Shell. After years of disappointing adaptations, any live-action anime or manga project faces a lot of skepticism. Today’s anime fans are especially wary of these projects, so getting the casting right is incredibly important.

Gundam Bets on Sydney Sweeney & Noah Centineo in New Live-Action Mecha

Sydney Sweeney’s portrayal of Cassie Howard (now Cassie Jacobs) in the upcoming season of Euphoria has drawn criticism due to her character’s shift from a typical teenager with some problems to someone who creates adult content, a storyline that echoes real-world issues. Skilled actors often work with how audiences perceive their characters, and Sweeney has consistently demonstrated this talent, both in this increasingly dramatic Euphoria role and in her previous work.

It’s unclear how this approach helps the actor with their new role in the live-action Gundam film. Their co-star, Noah Centineo, began his career on Disney Channel and gained popularity through shows like The Fosters and the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movies. Centineo’s casting in Gundam, along with his recent role as Ken Masters, are significant parts of his growing film career. Currently, with the actor’s popularity soaring, she is clearly the main draw of the upcoming Gundam movie, overshadowing Centineo.

I’ve been watching Sydney Sweeney’s career, and it’s been quite a ride. Some of her roles really divide people, but overall she’s had some incredible highs and definite lows. For example, her performances in the 2025 Christy Martin biopic and the 2024 Madame Web movie weren’t well-received, but at the same time, she’s also had some really big wins that everyone’s been talking about.

Sydney Sweeney’s leading role in The Housemaid, with Amanda Seyfried, is being hailed as her most significant film success to date. The R-rated thriller, directed by Paul Feig and released in early December 2025, has already earned over $400 million worldwide on a modest $35 million budget, proving Sweeney’s ability to draw large audiences when the project is right. However, despite this success, the upcoming Gundam movie, also starring Sweeney and Centineo, appears to be facing difficulties and is not expected to perform well.

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2026-05-15 18:39