'Attack On Titan' Heads to Hollywood [Updated]
Attack On Titan is one of the break-out successes of the anime and manga world this side of the millennium. A worldwide bestselling manga a hugely successful anime, it has gone on to spawn a spin-off comedy series, several videogames and two Japanese live-action movies. It's hardly surprising that with such a globally successful brand someone in Hollywood would soon come knocking.
There has been speculation for a while, but now it is beginning to look like it's becoming more likely. According to Deadline, Warner Bros are currently negotiating for the rights to the franchise, and is lining it up as a project for David Hayman, producer on their recent hit Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.
The report suggests that the US production would in fact remake the recent Japanese live-action films. It's unlikely that it would follow the Japanese model of producing it as two parts, but no doubt the producers would be hoping for a franchise if the first film turned out to be a hit.
Hollywood adaptations of anime and manga have rightly attracted criticism for "white-washing" roles, but this will be an interesting case. The original setting (although fictional) was based on a European, western-style world. This was jettisoned for the Japanese movies, meaning that the Hollywood adaptation could in fact, be more true to the original source material. Having said that, the key-role of Mikasa is specifically written as a different ethnicity to the rest of the cast, so there is still a chance for the adaptation to attract Ghost In The Shell style controversy if they're not careful.
This is all nothing but speculation, however as the film has not even been greenlit just yet. But we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for more news as it develops.
The second season of the Attack On Titan anime will air starting in April 2017.
