Here is a short summary of Chris Meadows' Space Station Liberty podcast last week, where the definitive word came on the future of the Shadow Rising postponement fiasco. For the complete podcast visit http://terrania.us/liberty where you can download or stream the podcast.
1. Elaborating on what was said at A-con Q&A Robotech Panel and Space station liberty.
Fan:
How is the RLAM going to affect/conflict with Shadow Rising?
Kevin Mckeever:
WB and HG are coordinating together with Robotech Shadow Rising and RLAM. This is being done to prevent Shadow Rising and RLAM from crashing into each other.
Tommy Yune:
There is going to be some effect. Shadow Rising was the flag ship product for HG in 2007 and to get it out as soon as possible because that was driving all the new Robotech licensing. That was the 400 pound gorilla at the time bringing in more interest into robotech after Robotech the Shadow Chronicles has done so well. All of a sudden we have even bigger flagship project that came in from left field that we unexpected late last year that has gotten us so exited and it's LAM. Now we have this 800 pound gorilla that can even drive more Robotech and get more Robotech to more audiences than ever before.
Fan:
What is the status of the animation production of shadow rising?
Kevin Mckeever:
The animation production on shadow rising is on hiatus but not worry because shadow rising has not been cancelled and is moving forward at HG
2. Is Robotech Shadow Rising on hiatus or postponed?
Fan:
Is it on hiatus?
Kevin Mckeever:
Using the word hiatus during one of the answers was probably not a good choice of word. As it's been giving some people the wrong impression that the film has been postponed or cancelled. Shadow Rising is NOT canceled, postponed, on hiatus till WB finishes or completes the RLAM or it's development. Never once said or even implied that WB has put the film on hiatus till the LAM is completed its development.
Never said that a live action has to come first before we see Shadow Rising. Anything said other wise is completely false and at no time it was said otherwise as reported from A-con and on the Robotech and other message boards. When I said hiatus, in a film production term, was meant that there is no shooting at the time, but still being worked on.
3. What is the status of HG on Robotech Shadow Rising at it's current date?
Kevin Mckeever:
Still moving forward at HG. HG is fully committed to the Robotech brand and is actively developing Shadow Rising and other aspects of the franchise.
Fan:
2009 release date being pushed back?
Tommy Yune:
To clarify, until we have a very clear idea of a completion date and of post production, it is not wise to commit to certain dates ahead if time. Like done in Shadow Chronicles and have the deal fall through. What HG came out of that is not commit Shadow Rising to a date. All the dates brought up (by fans) are speculative dates.
4. How are HG and WB coordinating together?
Kevin Mckeever:
Making sure that all aspects of the robotech franchise animation and RLAM do not conflict with each other for the good of the franchise.
Tommy Yune:
If you take a look at Batman franchise that has a very long lasting franchise where you got multiple continuity’s where you have the BLAM coexisting with the animated batman and will be same thing with Robotech where there will always be animated Robotech coexisting with Live Action Robotech.
Makes absolute sense to HG to coordinate with WB they are going to put resources on this that we could not have dream of more than a year ago. and it makes absolute since for HG to take advantage of the coat tails that HG will be handed and coordinate and make sure HG production compliments one another when the LAM will reach a lot more people. And we consider this a very positive development.
HG is going to work side by side with WB marketing personnel and consumer product personnel to find out what is the best course of action. because there will not just be Shadow Rising but other projects that will sprout out because of this that's got us really exiting but can't go much into more detail. There's going to be more opportunities for a lot more Robotech to come out because of this. Were talking about marketing the whole Robotech universe. including Southern Cross.
Fan:
Including Southern Cross?
Tommy Yune:
Including Southern Cross. I’ll have to be honest; if marketing analyst people go strictly by the numbers, they'll probably invest more resources into the origins of macross and that kind of stuff to continue to market the classic Robotech. When the whole market enlarges for Robotech, that will bring more opportunities for all segments of Robotech, including Southern Cross.
Citing examples, because Shadow Chronicles RPG did so well, that allowed palladium to commit the resources to have a Southern Cross book done.
5. What is the status of the RLAM?
Kevin Mckeever:
There is no budget, no release date, no director, no cast, no script etc, for these things have not been decided by WB. Anything else is not official and is internet speculation.
There is work being done on the RLAM in the areas mention before. There are many people working very hard to bring this movie to fruition. RLAM is moving forward.
People should not take internet speculation about budget, cast, script, and release date as gospel truth.
6. When is the Beta Fighter coming out?
Tommy Yune:
Oh!. We have a big surprise about that, but George has asked me to not give away that information yet. He got a cool stuff coming out for the summer conventions. And for the fans that show up at comic con this year, he will have a big display and the Robotech fans that show up this year are going to be blown away with what he's got.
George is working on getting more Japanese licenses into the U.S.
Now that they have access to the molds they are giving a little bit of leeway to make changes. Other than reissues there will be stuff you have not seen before. One of the things that George is looking into is making various little types of updates to make something new of the classic VF-1. There are surprises working up their sleeves.