Death Note is coming to Netflix. This week, the streaming service announced production has begun on their movie adaptation of the popular manga/anime series.
Based on the Japanese manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note “follows a high school student who comes across a supernatural notebook, realizing it holds within it a great power; if the owner inscribes someone’s name into it while picturing their face, he or she will die.” An anime adaptation of the series ran for 37 episodes between 2006 and 2007.
The live-action movie will star Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley, Keith Stanfield, Paul Nakauchi, and Shea Whigham. Adam Wingard is directing, with Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Jason Hoffs, and Masi Oka producing. Death Note is slated to premiere on Netflix in 2017.
Read more details below:
Beverly Hills, CA (June 30, 2016) – Netflix announced that principal photography begins Thursday on the original feature film Death Note from director Adam Wingard (The Guest, You’re Next). Death Note will shoot in Canada and the U.S. and stars Nat Wolff (Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars) as Light Turner; Margaret Qualley (The Nice Guys, The Leftovers) as Mia Sutton; Keith Stanfield (Straight Outta Compton, Dope, Short Term 12) as “L”; Paul Nakauchi (Alpha and Omega) as Watari; and Shea Whigham (Agent Carter, Boardwalk Empire) as James Turner. The film will be produced by Roy Lee (The Ring, The Departed), Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Sherlock Holmes), Jason Hoffs (Edge of Tomorrow), and Masi Oka (Heroes Reborn, Hawaii-Five-0).
Based on the famous Japanese manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note follows a high school student who comes across a supernatural notebook, realizing it holds within it a great power; if the owner inscribes someone’s name into it while picturing their face, he or she will die. Intoxicated with his new godlike abilities, the young man begins to kill those he deems unworthy of life.
“I am honored to be working with this great cast and I look forward to bringing Tsugumi and Takeshi’s unique story to a global audience,” said director Adam Wingard.
“Our vision for Death Note has always been to bring this captivating story to the screen for its longtime manga fans and to introduce the world to this dark and mysterious masterpiece. The talent and diversity represented in our cast, writing, and producing teams reflect our belief in staying true to the story’s concept of moral relevance — a universal theme that knows no racial boundaries,” stated producers Roy Lee and Dan Lin.
Miri Yoon (Behaving Badly), Jonathan Eirich (Hammerspace), John Powers Middleton (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, The Lego Movie), and Brendan Ferguson (Big Eyes, Reasonable Doubt) are executive producers.
Death Note will premiere globally on Netflix in 2017.”
What do you think? Have you read the manga series or seen the anime? Will you watch Death Note the movie?
I so fear disaster! Really? Not a japanese production? English, with English character names and so on? For Death Note fans like me? I am terrified. And I am not saying this because of racism or xenophobia. I say this, as pointed out by someone else, because I am used to Death Note in Japanese. I am unsesr that I will like it any other way.
Aaaanyway, good luck!
I have nothing against the person playing L. I feel anyone can play a part if they mean it, just with these popular characters or bio roles, they should find someone very close the actual person in most cases
I’m close to L. He’s my friend.
Hollywood loves for “Us” to get hated on by these fandoms. Why not create original characters for diversity then we won’t have these actors have to deal with all this crap I’m sure is/or already coming. Why not use another minority group so it won’t all be on us OR use a Japanese American or one with Japanese decent. I just give up on Hollywood. They don’t know what they’re doing. A well known character I feel shouldn’t be change no matter what race because people grow up knowing them that way. Doesn’t mean they hate the other people. There’s… Read more »