It was reported a while ago that a live action film based on the anime movie KITE was underway with David R. Ellis at the directors chair and Samuel L Jackson playing one of the leads. Sadly Ellis passed away leaving the director's chair empty
Now South African director Ralph Ziman[Jerusalema,The Zookeeper] has taken over helming Kite, a live action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu’s 1998 Japanese anime film.
Joining the cast is India Eisley[Underorld Awakening The Secret Life Of The American Teenager] as Sawa and Callan Mcauliffe[Underground: The Julian Assange Story, The Great Gatsby and I Am Number Four]
The story of the film is character driven and it tells the story of Sawa[Eisley] a young woman living in a failed state after the financial collapse, where a corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When Sawa’s policeman father is killed, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of his ex-partner, Karl Aker (Jackson).Pre-production is underway in Johannesburg with principal photography to begin this month.
Samuel L Jackson said'' “The zest and enthusiasm David Ellis had for this project led to my commitment to do it. That same commitment to David leads me to fulfil my obligation to see his dedication fulfilled.” Ziman is best known for 2008′s crime actioner Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema[As I mentioned above]
Anant Singh and Distant Horizon’s Brian Cox will produce alongside co-producers Moises Cosio and Alberto Muffelmann of Detalle Films.
Jackson is repped by ICM Partners and Anonymous Content. Eisley is repped by ICM Parnters and Justice & Ponder. Ziman is repped by ICM Partners. McAuliffe is repped by CAA, Alchemy Entertainment and Oz’s RGM Artist Group.
EISLEY MCAULIFFE AND JACKSON THE CAST OF KITE