Gundam Moves to Yearly New Releases, Bandai Namco Chairman Says
Makoto Asanuma told Mediamixi the franchise now puts out some kind of new work every year, a shift from its earlier sporadic schedule.
Bandai Namco Filmworks chairman Makoto Asanuma said the Gundam franchise has changed its release strategy and now puts out some kind of new work every year, rather than only rarely. Asanuma made the remarks in an interview with Mediamixi.
According to the chairman, his own policy of creating many works quickly may have influenced the new annual schedule. He added that in the past new Gundam projects were released infrequently and were hard to get off the ground.
The shift is visible in the franchise's recent output. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway arrived in 2021, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury in 2022, and both Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom and Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance in 2024. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX followed in 2025, and Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe was released in 2026.
More projects in the pipeline
Further works are lined up, including a complete remaster of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO in 2027, the film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO and new anime for Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.
Bandai Namco Filmworks was known as Sunrise until its restructuring in 2022. The Gundam IP posted an all-time high revenue of 254.3 billion yen (about US$1.62 billion) for Bandai Namco Holdings, and the franchise approaches its 50th anniversary in 2029. A live-action Gundam film is also in development at Legendary Pictures, with Jim Mickle as director and writer and Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo in the cast, set to stream on Netflix.
Quick answers
What did Bandai Namco Filmworks say about Gundam's release schedule?
Chairman Makoto Asanuma said the franchise has switched to releasing some kind of new work every year instead of only rarely, in an interview with Mediamixi.
Which Gundam works are coming next?
Upcoming projects include a complete remaster of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO in 2027, the film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO and new anime for Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.
When did Sunrise become Bandai Namco Filmworks?
The studio was known as Sunrise until its restructuring in 2022.