Maguire attacking big screen in "Robotech"

Tobey Maguire and his fiancee Jennifer Meyer pose at the premiere of ''The 11th Hour'' at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California, August 8, 2007. After slipping on a mask for Spider-Man, Maguire might be slipping into a giant robot for ''Robotech.''

TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) - After slipping on a mask for Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire might be slipping into a giant robot for "Robotech."

After a lengthy negotiation, Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up feature rights to "Robotech," a 1980s Japanese cartoon series with giant robots known as mechas. Maguire is eyeing the lead role, and will serve as a producer.

"We are very excited to bring 'Robotech' to the big screen," Maguire said. "There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film."

A sprawling sci-fi epic, "Robotech" takes place at a time when Earth has developed giant robots from the technology on an alien spacecraft that crashed on a South Pacific isle. Mankind is forced to use the technology to fend off three successive waves of alien invasions. The first invasion concerns a battle with a race of giant warriors who seek to retrieve their flagship's energy source known as "protoculture," and the planet's survival ends up in the hands of two young pilots.

The $686 million worldwide box office success of "Transformers" has inspired other studios to assemble giant robot movies. Last month, Fox-based Regency picked up 1980s Japanese anime series "Voltron."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter