Amazon gives a disappointing update on the live-action Voltron movie

Fans of Voltron are in for a disappointment on the fate of the long-awaited movie based on the classic cartoon.

The 1980s are always ripe for nostalgia projects, and the movies have been mining them lately. Amazon is ready to unleash Masters of the Universe on June 5, based on the beloved ‘80s cartoon series and toy line.

Another big project that fits the genre was Voltron, an upcoming 2027 movie based on the Japanese/American animated series. While not revealing a release date for the film, Amazon confirmed that the movie will skip a theatrical release and go straight to streaming on Prime Video. They also revealed the film’s official logo.

This is hardly the first case of a big-budget movie that’s gone straight to streaming. It’s an issue that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic when theaters were closed down. Disney and Warner Bros. would soon make it commonplace for movies to be on their streaming services, although many popular IP projects do prefer theaters.

Fans of Voltron aren’t happy about the decision, with several Reddit and social media postings complaining about this property being denied a chance at the big screen. While it raises worries about the quality, many Voltron fans insist the small screen isn’t right for this epic clash.

The history of Voltron

The history of Voltron goes back to the early 1980s when Japan debuted an animated series called Beast King GoLion. In 1984, World Events Productions took the series, dubbed it with American actors and created Voltron: Defender of the Universe. It was a major success with 124 episodes total.

The original Voltron is what fans remember as the peaceful world of Arus is attacked by monsters led by the evil Zarkon. A group of young pilots commands giant robot lions that can be fused together into the warrior Voltron. The second season shifted it (using a different Japanese series) to a space crew of vehicles.

The original series retained a following that included revivals in the 1990s and Voltron: Legendary Defender, which ran for eight seasons on Netflix. There were attempts at a big-screen movie for years before it was finally announced in 2022.

The movie is co-written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, a longtime fan of the original cartoon. The cast includes Henry Cavill as King Alfor, Sterling K. Brown as Zarkon, Rita Ora as the witch Haggar, along with Daniel Quinn-Toye, John Harlan Kim, Alba Baptista, Samson Kayo, Tharanya Tharan, Laura Gordon, Tim Griffin, and Nathan Jones.

The movie’s main plot is under wraps, with some reports that this will be about a new generation of lion pilots reforming the Voltron Force. It sounds like a true spectacle with these giant robots clashing with various monsters, a terrific big-screen spectacle. This is why it’s disappointing that it’s going straight to streaming.

It’s an odd move, as one would think Amazon would want a theatrical release to recoup some of the budget. Surely any box office is better than just dumping it straight to streaming. There’s also the fact that the property has name recognition and a fanbase eager to see it. It’s a blow to fandom to finally get a Voltron movie, only to be denied a theatrical experience.

There’s a mild hope Amazon may change its mind in the next few months and give this a theatrical run after all. For now, though, Voltron won’t be roaring into theaters.

Voltron premieres on Prime Video in 2027.

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