Netflix is continuing to make strides in bringing quality programming to challenge Cinema when it was announced they will be adapting Death Note Live action. According to Variety the online streaming giant has won the rights to produce then stream the popular Japanese Manga/Anime after Warner Bros gave up the rights.
It seems the Adam Wingard (You’re Next) film has been in production for a while and the studio started to get cold feet on the film. Fearing the reception the film would receive plus the long time rumoured rumoured plans by Warner Bros to cut back on it’s ‘non-franchised’ films Death Note has fell victim finding itself a victim of the cut backs. It’s believed Netflix are still in negotiations beting off competition from Lionsgate and STX but if the rumours are true 48 hours after they dropped the project virtually majority of the big studios where in battle to win those rights.
Fans of the series maybe shouting at their computers, screaming “Death Note already has live action films”, you would be correct. There has been several Japanese films but Wingard who also directed the highly underrated The Guest is directing the English language adaptation. This is an older teen/adults title so when a popular story is going to get this type of cinematic treatment will it follow the adult theme or go for the cursed 12A ? Looking at some other blogs that have covered this news it seems the tone will be ‘for adults’ and if it was to be a 12A film the story would be drastically slashed. Whilst many fans will be really disappointed in the news as like many films it’s great to see the final product on the big screen not the small screen. However for those looking for a more adult films or shows Netflix have proven they can deliver, plus for a monthly fee that’s less than one adult cinema ticket I think we can say it will be worth it!
Paper Town’s Nat Wolff is set to play the film’s lead with Margaret Qualley the female lead. Death Note tells the story of a young man who finds note book with supernatural powers. The note book allows him to kill anyone he wants by filling an the person’s name in the book, with no evidence leading back to him. First he starts killing off criminals of Tokyo which subsequently leads a mysterious police detective L to target him leading the pair on a cat and mouse chase.
No release date has been announced yet .
