Ever since I was a kid watching Voltron on TV, it has been my dream to see a studio take up this kick-ass concept and bring it to the big screen with a movie worthy of thought, with morals and feelings. A movie that would give you goosebumps in its climactic scenes and tears at tragedy. A serious science fiction movie. A movie worthy of multiple Oscars for acting, visual effects and sound and direction.

In 1995, “director” Bryan Spicer took my dream, ate it, and proceeded to go to the bathroom to create a dump he later called “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie“. Kids age Stupid to Moron loved it. I on the other hand, was not amused. Power Rangers not only sucked major balls at copying a concept of royal proportions, but it also ruined every chance of bringing the real thing back into the light of day from its glorious past in the 80′s.

It took 10 years.

Now, in 2005 Producer Mark Gordon (“The Day After Tomorrow”) is developing a big-budget feature based on the cartoon series. Voltron has generated more than $750 million in worldwide licensing and nearly $200 million in toys and merchandising since its debut in 1984.

The story being developed will be based on the series about five maverick explorer-pilots who must travel to the planet Arus to learn how to operate Voltron, a giant mechanical warrior formed by five smaller lion shaped robots. The gargantuan robot is the last hope against the evil Drule Empire that has subjugated Earth and taken control of the universe.

Two employees at New Line Cinema, Mark Costa and Ford Oelman, secured the rights from Voltron owner World Events, and eventually brought the project to Gordon, whose credits also include “Saving Private Ryan” and “Speed.” Costa and Oelman will executive produce, along with Pharrell Williams, one-half of the producing duo the Neptunes, who will score the film and produce the soundtrack.

Voltron is now the second giant robot picture being developed; Transformers is set up at DreamWorks Pictures and is set to be release on July 4th 2007.

Both Voltron (Dreamworks) and Transformers (New Line Cinema) have the potential to end up like Power Rangers. Both projects are currently in good hands, but at some point someone could go “let’s make this for a younger audience” and flush the whole thing down the tubes. I really enjoy watching both shows as a kid and can only hope for the best for both movies.

At this point I’m reminded of a note I once read that a little girl of 8 wrote to the pilot of a plane about how she enjoyed her flight and how the clouds were nice. She ended with a thought I’m having about both these projects: “Don’t fuck up the landing”

At 11 kilometers (7 miles) above the Earth’s surface the curvature of the planet becomes clear and no land or water can be made out. Just blue and white. On our landing approach, as the blue turned to water and the white turned to clouds, the land was still not visible. At first I thought it’s raining as it had done hours before in Toronto, but as soon as I left the air-conditioned cabin of our 747 to enter the flexible gateway tunnel, the heat and humidity hit me as if walking in a steam room of a sauna. “Maybe it’s just the tunnel that’s this hot”, I thought to myself.

It’s noon, the next day and this is nothing like the weather I remember from Canada 20 years ago. From the 17th floor, the air looks almost liquid as it cuts through layers of trees on the horizon and the smog is like nothing I’ve ever seen. The effects of global climate change are clearly evident, even to those that dare not face or approach it.

It may be too little too late as Ontarians are urged to conserve power, not because of the environment, but rather to keep the power plants from failing to provide power. How ironic.