The live-action Robotech adaptation being produced by Hollywood power mogul (yes, that’s facetiousness you detect) will be scripted by Smallville writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. So speaketh Aint-It-Cool-News. I’m not a big fan of Smallville, but since it’s apparently been on television since I was six, those guys must be doing something right. Personally I think Joss Whedon needs another film gig (nudge-nudge), but hey - whatdoiknow.

Over at MTV news, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt rebuts rumors that he is playing Kaneda’s telekinetic pal Tetsuo in the (supposedly) upcoming Akira live-action adaptation.

When asked about the rumor, Levitt responded, “That just goes to show what you can believe about what people write about movies. I love the movie ‘Akira.’ I still have yet to read the manga, but that’s really just a rumor. They don’t have a script or anything.”

Hey, well - that just means he’ll be available to play Rick Hunter in the Robotech flick, right Joseph?

Just read at Aint-It-Cool-News that ADV has ‘discontinued’ its Robotech lineup, as well as Best Student Council, Five Centimeters Per Second, and Innocent Venus. I’m a little stunned, seeing as ADV has held the Robotech license for about - I dunno - forever.

What with Funimation’s recent release of Shadow Chronicles and (presumably) whatever followup the folk at Harmony Gold come up with, one wonders if they’ll pick up distribution of Robotech.

We’ll keep you posted if anything develops.

UPDATE (4:12 PM EST) - Anime News Network reports that ADV’s de-listing of Robotech was a mistake; the Protoculture Box Set (containing all 85 episodes of the original series) remains in-print, although the single-disc and smaller box-sets are still discontinued. However, Five Centimeters Per Second, and Innocent Venus are still apparently kaput.