WB's Live-Action DEATH NOTE Movie Lands New Director

WB's Live-Action DEATH NOTE Movie Lands New Director

According to The Tracking Board, Gus Van Sant will direct Warner Bros.' live-action adaptation of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's popular Death Note anime and manga.

By MarkJulian - Jul 08, 2014 05:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Anime & Manga
A live-action Death Note movie has been in development at Warner Bros. since 2009 and at one time, had Shane Black attached to write and direct the project. However, the latest from The Tracking Board has director Gus Van Sant jumping on board to take the reins. Most of the Western audience probably knows the property best as an anime that ran on Cartoon Network's Toonami and Adult Swim programming block from 2007 - 2010. There have been three live-action Death Note films produced from Japanese film studio Nippon Television - Death Note (June 2006), Death Note: The Last Name (November 2006) and the spinoff film, L: Change the World (February 2008). As recent as April 2013, Shane Black confirmed that he was still attached to helm the project, however, it was also revealed around the same time that there were creative differences between he and WB regarding Light's mission and the use of shinigami. Producing the feature are Dan Lin, Doug Davison, Roy Lee, and Brian Witten through their respective production houses, Vertigo Entertainment, Witten Pictures, and Lin Pictures. The latest draft of the script was completed by Black, Anthony Bagarozzi, and Charles Mondry. Gus Van Sant is best known for Good Will Hunting and Milk.

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life? Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note's powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is the strange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?
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SuperCat
SuperCat - 7/8/2014, 5:13 PM
Never heard of the anime but seems like it would make an interesting movie.
Enphlieuwince
Enphlieuwince - 7/8/2014, 5:15 PM
I could never get into this show. Probably because I started in te middle of a season. But, as long as the movie turns out good enough to influence WB to finally take a crack at Bleach, I'm down. Alex Pettyfer for 'Ichigo Kurosaki'.
Ranger14
Ranger14 - 7/8/2014, 5:19 PM
I liked the live adaptation that was already done. Hollywood will most likely whitewash and water it down though. Time will tell if they can do it justice, but this does not excite me in the least.
DaVinci31
DaVinci31 - 7/8/2014, 5:19 PM
A live-action Death Note film?

Enphlieuwince
Enphlieuwince - 7/8/2014, 5:20 PM
SuperCat It's like an anime version of Dexter. If you like a show with a lot of grim dialogue and psuedo-intellectual exposition, then you'd probably like this.
SpiderFraud
SpiderFraud - 7/8/2014, 5:24 PM
I didn't even know they was planing on making a Death Note movie, plus they got a decent Director.

I'm all in for this one.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 7/8/2014, 5:24 PM
Really liked Death Note!
Wow they've chosen an amazing respectable director! - so excited for this now.
DeusExSponge
DeusExSponge - 7/8/2014, 5:26 PM
Oh c'mon, some anime should never see the light when it comes to live action movies. While I can see Death Note making the transition easily, it will most have an American cast replacing the Japanese cast and take place in the U.S. Why not have a crack at adapting Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan to the silver screen? They have the budget and that series has a multicultural cast and it's a huge hit around the world as of now. It's basically begging for a big screen adaptation!
Karmatron
Karmatron - 7/8/2014, 5:29 PM
@CherryBomb

The anime series of DeathNote is amazing! I just finished watching it and it delivers in spades.

I have not read the manga though
NovaCorpsFan
NovaCorpsFan - 7/8/2014, 5:30 PM
Anime should never be adapted to live-action, just let the 500 episodes stand on their own, jeez.
SpiderFraud
SpiderFraud - 7/8/2014, 5:34 PM
@NovaCorpsFan

Death Note is only 26 episodes and its a easy adaption for a live action movie. All they really gotta do is nail the tone and maybe split it into two parts.

I do agree about those 500+ eps, they should never see the light of day, unless they have a solid plan.
Humperdink
Humperdink - 7/8/2014, 5:35 PM
Anime fans always want to see their favorite flicks become a major live action film.

Until they actually see it.

Has it ever worked out?
I can't think of a time that it has.
NovaCorpsFan
NovaCorpsFan - 7/8/2014, 5:36 PM
@SpiderFraud

I know, just making a joke regarding how shit loads of animes have over 500 episodes.
Karmatron
Karmatron - 7/8/2014, 5:38 PM
@Humperdink

Dragon Ball Evolution worked wonders!!!
Humperdink
Humperdink - 7/8/2014, 5:38 PM
Personally I'd rather the ones I actually have enjoyed (I'm not a big fan but some of Hayao Miyazaki's work is amazing) never be attempted at making into a Hollywood blockbuster.

I just don't have faith that it would work.

whoa123
whoa123 - 7/8/2014, 5:38 PM
Holy sh*t they got a solid director for this one.
SpiderFraud
SpiderFraud - 7/8/2014, 5:40 PM
@NovaCorpsFan

Lol, ok

Even though you was joking, you're still speaking the truth.

Dragonball Z would probably be a horrible adaption, even if they put out a pretty good movie.
JamesMan
JamesMan - 7/8/2014, 6:09 PM
Great director... but why?
storyteller
storyteller - 7/8/2014, 6:19 PM
It would be interesting to see how it turns out. I think Death note is heavily dependent on a Japanese culture. So to cater to a western audience, it likely needs to be changed or most won't get it.

Taking a foreign concept while placing it in a foreign world doesn't usually work.
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 7/8/2014, 6:20 PM
Van Sant is a damn good director, this is awesome news.
I've never seen the anime though. I know what the story's about and I've heard nothing but good things about it.
shamo
shamo - 7/8/2014, 6:27 PM
Hell yeah! Huge step up from Shane Black. Can't wait for this.
NightForce
NightForce - 7/8/2014, 6:35 PM
Just watched this show on Netflix its awesome and someone said it already its basically an anime DEXTER with supernatural elements. But the movie will probably similar to how "Edge of Tomorrow" is based off an anime but altered for the movie.
iFightForTheUsers
iFightForTheUsers - 7/8/2014, 6:35 PM
While I am hesitant about the idea of a Westernized Death Note adaptation, Gus Van Sant being attached is definitely appealing to say the least.
Space
Space - 7/8/2014, 6:38 PM
It won't do it justice.
CombatWombat
CombatWombat - 7/8/2014, 6:38 PM
solid choice
Comedian666
Comedian666 - 7/8/2014, 6:40 PM
One of my favorite manga/anime/live actions ever. I own all the adaptations of it, including the three live action Japanese ones, which are great. I think it could easily make the live action transition with a bigger budget than the previous ones.
Chekkarma
Chekkarma - 7/8/2014, 6:41 PM
Are the characters going to actually be Japanese or white,with a random black guy somewhere in there??...
Humperdink
Humperdink - 7/8/2014, 6:55 PM
@COREYxYEROC

Yeah I've seen some of those productions, it looks like they put in a solid effort. I think those sort of productions may be the best versions you could actually hope for until Hollywood actually gets off it's butt and surprises us all.
wailler
wailler - 7/8/2014, 6:56 PM
Gus Van Sant is one of my favorite directors, their films are great, I love "Elephant", "My Own Private Idaho", "Last Days". I hope he direct this. What a good new!




WaffeX
WaffeX - 7/8/2014, 7:00 PM
best anime series, i also love Cowboy Bebop and Hellsing and movies like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, i watched 5 episodes of Trigun but it was boring
TheAstoundingMan
TheAstoundingMan - 7/8/2014, 7:00 PM
This seems like one of those projects that will sit in development hell for a number of years, before being quietly ushered out with little or no fanfare in a few years' time.

I figured 'Light's mission' would be a point of contention; it would be interesting to see what Shane Black and WB couldn't agree on.
Lilvic92
Lilvic92 - 7/8/2014, 7:03 PM
@Novacoprsfan

Dc and Marvel comics have hundreds of different stories too
And even though some animes (DBZ, One Piece, Naruto etc.) have 500+ plus episodes, alot of those exist due to non canon filler or just shit dragged on from the manga.

Anime fans deserve to have the stories they grew up loving adapted to the big screen just as much as comic fans

Imagine if Zack Snyder tackled a DBZ Saiyan Saga Goku vs Vegeta-esque movie, that would be just as epic if not MORE epic that Superman vs Zod. It's about damn time anime movies started getting treated with care and respect lol rant done.
Ace101
Ace101 - 7/8/2014, 7:10 PM
Death note is down right amazing. I enjoyed the japanese live action movies but i have doubts that hollywood can do it justice.


Fav Anime:
Death Note
Bleach
Gintama
Steins Gate
Attack on Titan
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