Just as the success of 300 has led directly to the green-lighting of the long-gestating Watchmen movie, so this summer's superb box office performance by Dreamworks' Transformers will likely provide the impetus to get another live action film of a 1980s cartoon series to the big screen.  Variety is reporting that New Regency (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is 'close to a deal' with the Mark Gordon Co. to create a live action version of Voltron: Defender of the Universe.  The 1980s Voltron cartoon was based on two anime series, Go Lion and Dairugger XV.  Media Blasters has been releasing the original Voltron cartoons in box sets (the 4th set is due out on Sept. 25th, see 'Voltron Set 4: Red Lion') that have been extremely successful (see 'Voltron Blows Away Invader Zim').

Justin Marks has written the screenplay for the Voltron live action film, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world where five survivors band together to pilot five robots, which can combine to create the giant robot Voltron, the only weapon capable of defeating the aliens that have invaded and nearly conquered the Earth.  Marks is also writing scripts for a live action version of He Man and the Masters of the Universe at Warner Bros. (see 'Silver Pushes He-Man Movie')  and a DC Comics-based Green Arrow film, Supermax (see 'Goyer Sells Green Arrow Flick to Warners'), at the same studio.