Warner Bros. has announced that Adam Wingard will be directing the US adaptation of Japanese horror manga “Death Note”.
Wingard previously directed several horror movies such as “Pop Skull” and “A Horrible Way to Die”. His most recent effort, “The Guest”, has received critical acclaim from both critics and audience. Thus, it can be safely said that the adaptation will not veer wrong under his direction.
The manga, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, was a favourite amongst avid manga readers. It comprised of 37 episodes, which was then adapted into a popular anime series and also spawned 3 Japanese live-action films. Video games, light novels and musicals were also produced due to its popularity.
Shane Black, director of “Iron Man 3“, and Gus Van Sant, director of “Milk”, were once linked to the movie. However, both of them left the project due to undisclosed reasons.
For those who aren’t familiar with the famed manga, the official synopsis is as below:
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 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?
Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Jason Hoffs and Masi Oka are set to produce the movie while Doug Davison and Brian Witten will be holding the posts as executive producers.
It is unclear when the principal photography will begin.
What do you think the US adaptation? Will it live up to the fans’ expectations? Leave your thoughts in the comments box below!
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, First Showing
