Sydney Sweeney Joins Forces With Anime Legend Yoshiyuki Tomino for a New Project Alongside a Rising Netflix Star

File this under epic swing: Sydney Sweeney is gearing up to lead a live-action Gundam movie, and the chatter is that Noah Centineo might be along for the ride. Big franchise, big robots, big question marks. Here is where things stand and why this one is worth watching.

The project, at a glance

• Writer-director: Jim Mickle, the creator behind Netflix's Sweet Tooth.
• Producers: Legendary Pictures teamed with Bandai Namco Filmworks.
• Earlier version: Netflix and director Jordan Vogt-Roberts had been attached at one point; both are no longer involved.
• Casting: Sydney Sweeney is set to anchor the film. Multiple roles around her are still being locked; Noah Centineo is one of the names in the mix, but not confirmed.
• Tone and influences: Reporting points to a more grounded, war-story approach with potential nods to the fan-favorite 08th MS Team corner of the anime.
• Timing and location: One report says cameras could roll next spring in Australia. Not official yet, but that is the target.

So, are Sweeney and Centineo a thing here?

Sweeney is positioned as the emotional center of the movie. Behind the scenes, she has also been involved in the search for the co-lead. Centineo is in the conversation, and while nothing is signed, the pairing would make sense from a casting perspective.

The character dynamic being floated is classic star-crossed setup: two leads on opposite sides of a sprawling conflict. If that sticks, expect a lot of sparks and a lot of moral gray. Also, yes, this would smartly target younger audiences who know both actors from their recent work — Sweeney off a hot streak of high-visibility projects, Centineo coming off Netflix's The Recruit.

Gundam 101 (quick version)

Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Gundam takes place in a future where overcrowded Earth pushes humanity into space colonies. The peace does not last. A fight for independence explodes between Earth and the colonies, and it is waged with towering, humanoid war machines called Mobile Suits — the mecha that gave the franchise its identity. Beyond the hardware, Gundam stories usually care about the human cost: soldiers on the ground, shifting loyalties, and the price of war.

Why this is interesting

Adapting Gundam is a tall order. You are translating decades of anime and model-kit culture into a movie that has to play for people who have never heard the words Mobile Suit. Bringing in Jim Mickle suggests a character-first, boots-on-the-ground angle, which is probably the smartest way to make this universe legible to a broad audience. And if the 08th MS Team influence pans out, that is a deep-cut choice that should make long-time fans perk up.

Bottom line: Sydney Sweeney leading a grounded Gundam war story is a strong pitch. If Noah Centineo officially boards and the production date in Australia locks, this jumps from intriguing to must-watch. I will update as the cast and timeline firm up.