Sony Pictures has acquired rights to the 1980s anime classic Robotech and the studio has their eyes set on growing the live-action project into a worldwide franchise, according to Variety.

Robotech is based on a popular Japanese series that arrived on U.S. shores in back 1985. It’s credited with introducing American audiences to the anime genre, and went on to inspire spin-off lines of games, books, and collectibles. The story centers on alien invasions and Earth’s use of robots and technology to save the planet.

Warner Bros. initially had the rights, with Akiva Goldsman and Tobey McGuire singed on as producers, but the studio never moved forward on the project. When the rights again became available they were snatched up by Gianni Nunnari’s Hollywood Gang and Mark Canton’s Atmosphere, who have now found a home for the property at Sony. Michael Gordon has been tapped to write the screenplay; the trio previously teamed on 2014’s 300: Rise of an Empire.  Per Canton:

‘Robotech’ is a very significant and legendary part of the growth of anime into the force that it is today, and we’re excited to be adapting it for modern audiences.

This early in development, no casting information, production, or release dates are available.