Fans of the popular Japanese manga series Death Note, written by Tsugumi Ohba with illustrations provided by Takeshi Obata, are likely already patiently awaiting the release the forthcoming Hollywood adaptation of the original foreign language property from director Adam Wingard (The Guest). The original series was originally published in issues of the Japanese publication Weekly Shonen Jump from December 2003 through May 2006, and were also published in a series of individual retail volumes between May 2004 through October 2006 - before being adapted into a Japanese anime series for television that originally aired from October 2006 to June 2007 (thereafter making its way to American audiences).
Despite having already been made into a three-part live-action series of films that concluded in 2008, in addition to a television drama that was released last year, Wingard’s forthcoming feature film adaptation will be the first time that a cast of English speaking actors will approach the property. Production on the new Death Note film might just begin sooner rather than later, too.
According to Collider, Death Note - centering around Ohba’s now well-known story of a young student stumbling upon a notebook of supernatural powers that grants the owner the ability to kill anyone by simply writing their name on a blank page - is on course to begin filming sometime in 2016. What’s more, Wingard’s film will not be a family-friendly affair, according to producer Roy Lee, who claims that the cast and crew are intent on making an R-rated version of the source material. In conversation at DICE 2016, Lee stated:
“[We are] currently waiting to officially green-light the movie, but we have a cast in place. I think it’s been reported but I don’t remember yet, I’d have to check the site, so I don’t want to say anything yet. But it’s a movie we’re planning on making this year.”
Seeing as how it has already been reported that Nat Wolff (Paper Towns) and Margaret Qualley (The Leftovers) are both attached to the new project, it would appear as though Lee is not blowing any smoke, but is in fact telling the truth in regards to the placement of the cast and crew going forward on the production of Death Note. As for the film’s potential R-rating, Lee added:
If everything continues to fall into place as neatly as Lee believes things already have thus far, then fans of Death Note can no doubt breathe a sigh of relief with the knowledge that Wingard’s anticipated new film will in deed be getting underway on the production side of things shortly. And with such key talents as Wolff and Qualley already announced, it’s likely that the other members of the film’s cast will be just as impressive and capable of bringing Ohba’s original story to life for American moviegoing audiences.
“It’s definitely for adults. It is zero chance it will be below an R-rating. [Death Note] will be one of the first manga adaptations that feels very grounded but still has fantastical elements.”
Screen Rant will bring your more information on the Death Note movie as it becomes available.
Source: Collider
