In the search for material, movie studios have hit the bottom of the comic-book barrel. (Jonah Hex? Really?) Now they're turning to anime and manga for inspiration, which Complex details in the 2009 Style & Design package from our latest issue. Read on to learn about four manga titles that might be going Hollywood on us. And no, we're not counting Astro Boy...
AKIRA, PARTS I & II
SYNOPSIS: In post- apocalyptic Tokyo, the leader of a bike gang tries to save a friend from military experiments and execution.
CHALLENGING ELEMENT: Psychokinetic abilities that let one explode like a human A-bomb may be risky in the age of the suicide bomber.
BIG NAME ATTACHED: Leo DiCaprio (producer)
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DEATH NOTE
SYNOPSIS: When a high-school student finds a death god's supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone whose name he writes in it, he uses it to snuff out evildoers.
CHALLENGING ELEMENT: Given the rise of school killings, something tells us principals won't be lining up to endorse this one.
BIG NAME ATTACHED: None yet. Cowards!
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COWBOY BEBOP
SYNOPSIS: In post-apocalyptic (sense a theme?) space, a crew of bounty hunters (a.k.a. "cowboys") on the ship Bebop track down criminals.
CHALLENGING ELEMENT: Kids will love the source material's jazz themes!
BIG NAME ATTACHED: Keanu Reeves
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SCOTT PILGRIM
SYNOPSIS: A dickish Canadian slacker has to thrash his dream chick's evil ex-boyfriends to get it popping with her.
CHALLENGING ELEMENT: Making Pilgrim even more like Michael Cera, so he can continue his "most movies playing himself" streak.
BIG NAME ATTACHED: Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jason Schwartzman. We smell an emo hit!
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Cavon the Don(lol) August 22nd, 2009 at 01:31 PM
cowboy bebop might b hot if Mr.reeves plays his role right
Brilliance September 2nd, 2009 at 04:45 PM
Now we know that ain't happening
t0fu September 2nd, 2009 at 05:59 PM
the japanese already did a live action deathnote, and it is rather good. no reason to fuck up the story and redo it.
Roxy April 25th, 2010 at 06:52 AM
The Japanese version already fucked up the story. Bad acting, several diversions from the manga, shameless fanservice...
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t ussery February 1st, 2010 at 09:29 PM
You know that they already have a live action movie of death note part one and two I think if USA does anything they either have to do it page by page of the manga or import the Japanese version with subtitles… but not many people will get paid or watch it because it is people there never heard of