Both TV and Film are worlds of reboots and nostalgia right now. Popular programs from the 80’s and 90’s have been seeing a resurgence and are being newly produced for those adults who want to take a trip to their childhood. Netflix seems to be well aware of this, and the streaming service is illustrating this understanding by reviving beloved 80’s action cartoon Voltron: Defender Of The Universe. Netflix has now released some more information regarding what we can expect when Voltron returns to the small screen.
First off, Netflix will be teaming up with DreamWorks Animation for the reboot. This seems particularly promising as DreamWorks is known for creating visually stunning films for the big screen. In order to make the new Voltron successful, utilizing modern technology and animation is key. Considering that any past revivals since the original 1984 series have thus far been unsuccessful, Netflix is going to want to set itself apart in regards to quality and animations.
The new Voltron series has also recently released the official title, which will be Voltron: Legendary Defender. This seems wise marketing-wise. Voltron as a character is a popular culture staple of the 80’s, so highlighting how legendary it is shows that the new series knows and respects its original roots. Plus, it just sounds cool.
Details, as a whole, have been pretty scarce for Voltron: Legendary Defender. Netflix and DreamWorks seem to be tight-lipped regarding the overall setting, characters, and even production team behind the series. Other than the title and logo which were released on Nerdist, there isn’t a ton of public information regarding what we’ll be able to see when Voltron returns to the small screen.
The original series, Voltron: Defender Of The Universe aired in the US from 1984-1885 and became a beloved children’s program rather quickly. The series centered around a group of five astronauts who would pilot giant lion robots to help police the universe. Of course, when the fight seemed to be getting serious, the five robots would combine their power and become one gargantuan humanoid robot which would wield a sword and kick some bad guy ass.
To refresh your memory, check out the opening sequence for the original series, below.
If you haven’t seen the series and this still sounds familiar, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers essentially had the same exact plot in the 90’s. Five teenagers with attitude were granted with awesome powers and giant robots, called Zords, who would combine to create a MegaZord and use a giant sword to take down enemies. Both series began as Japanese dubs, and will both have a reboot soon when the new Power Rangers movie is released.
Voltron: Legendary Defender is set to be released on Netflix sometime in 2016. We’ll continue to to update you as more information becomes public.
