Comic book adaptations are all the rage in Hollywood right now, butAdam Wingard’s upcoming adaptation ofDeath Notecould usher in the era of the manga and anime adaptations. The project has had a rough road to production, but the movie is coming to Netflix next year andWingardrecently said that his adaptation will take a page or two fromChristopher Nolan’sBatmanmovies. That is encouraging, being thatBatman ReturnsandThe Dark Knightare still two of the finest comic book movies ever made.
Wingardrecently did an AMA onRedditin order to promote his upcoming movieBlair Witch, a sequel to the 1999 found footage movieThe Blair Witch Project. During the course of the AMA, a fan asked abou anime adaptations in Hollywood and if big studios will take them seriously. Here is what he had to say.
“I think Anime are due for the same treatment that comics got when Nolan did Batman. I think the key is straying away from overtAnimestyle like Speed Racer and Dragon Ball and instead try to ground the stories in more relatable ways. With Death Note I tried to give it a gritty lived in look. With that said DEATH NOTE is going to be my most insane movie yet. It makes the Guest look conventional.”
While good anime or manga adaptations have almost totally alluded Hollywood at this point, withWingardcitingSpeed RacerandDragonball: Evolutionas prime examples of failed attempts,Death Notehas been on many studios' radar for a very long time. The project started its road to production back in 2007 when various studios had expressed interest in the property. In 2009 the project found its way to Warner Bros. and in 2011,The Nice GuysandIron Man 3directorShane Blackgot attached to direct the adaptation. Finally, last yearAdam Wingardsigned on for the movie, but Warner Bros. ditched the project and Netflix came in to save the day. Though there were many other studios that were reportedly interested in picking up theDeath Note movie.
The story ofDeath Notecenters on high school student Light Turner, who comes across a supernatural notebook, realizing it holds within it a great power. If the owner inscribes someone’s name into it while picturing their face, he or she will die. Intoxicated with his new godlike abilities, the young man begins to kill those he deems unworthy of life.
The fact thatWingardpromised thatDeath Notewill be his most insane movie yet is also potentially encouraging, as well as a very bold statement. BothYou’re NextandThe Guesttook very overdone concepts, home invasion horror and “a stranger comes to town,” and turned them on their heads in very crazy fashion. Also, though it has yet to be released, we have seenBlair Witchand can say that it is most certainly insane in its own right. Something likeDeath Noteneeds to be a bitinsaneto work, given the crazy premise, so it is nice thatWingardand Netflix didn’t seem to pull any punches making the movie.
The cast ofDeath NoteincludesNat Wolffas Light Turner,Margaret Qualleyas Mia Sutton,Keith Stanfieldas L,Paul Nakauchias Watari,Shea Whighamas James Turner andWillem Dafoeas Ryuk the Shinigami.Death Notewas originally a Japanese manga series written byTsugumi Ohbaand illustrated byTakeshi Obataand has been adapted several times including as a very popular anime series. Netflix has yet to confirm an official release date for the movie, but we will be sure to keep you posted as details become available. In the meantime, you can check outBlair Witch, which comes out on September 16.
