Australia's Arclight Films, Canada's Wizzfilms, the Infotainment China Media Company, and the United Kingdom's Latec International have agreed on Thursday to produce the proposed live-action film adaptation of the Bubblegum Crisis anime franchise. The defunct ARTMIC studio created the original 1987-1991 video anime series about four women who protect a cybernetic future Tokyo with powered armor. Japan's Anime International Company (AIC) had previously signed a basic agreement with Singapore's Cubix International PTE Ltd. (Zodiac: The Race Begins) for the adaptation on October 30. Benjamin Toh of Singapore's Axxis International is acting as executive producer.

The US$30-million project is planned for worldwide release by early 2012. The producers are negotiating for the director and cast, who will shoot the film in Australia. A spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter newspaper that the cast will "feature two male leads and a quartet of female action babes — two Caucasian and two Asian." Mokko Studio, a partner studio of Wizzfilms with Oscar-winning animation director Anthony LaMolinara (Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2) , has agreed to do the post-production work in Canada. AIC and Cubix said in 2008 that they intend to consult with former ARTMIC staffers Shinji Aramaki (screenplay and mechanical design) and Kenichi Sonoda (character design) to maintain a connection with the world concepts of the original series.

Screendaily.com describes the project as "the first co-production between the six nations." By lining up partners from Australia, Canada, and China, the producers may be able to partly bankroll the film with funds from the respective governments and release the film in China. Axxis says that 70% of the project's funds have been committed.

The original anime sold over 600,000 copies on laserdisc and video tape. It already spawned the AD Police Files prequel video anime series and the Bubblegum Crash sequel video anime series. The Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 television anime series remade the original story in 1998 and spawned its own AD Police television series spinoff and the Parasite Dolls video series.

Thank you to Brian Ruh for the news tip.

Source: Screendaily.com, The Hollywood Reporter

Update: The Kung Fu Cult Cinema website posted a promotional poster (pictured at left) that surfaced at Cannes.