This might have been the bane of anime fans’ existence years ago, but there are all sorts of new live-action anime and manga adaptations now in the works for a release in the near future. It’s been especially notable in the last few years as thanks to the rise of worldwide popularity and acceptance for the medium of anime overall, we have gotten to see a lot of care and attention put into their live-action takes. It’s even gotten to the point where fans are wanting to see what the next major live-action adaptation has to offer.
Videos by ComicBook.com
With seeing so many live-action successes lately with care put into them such as Netflix’s One Piece series, it does raise the hype about what could be coming down the pipeline next. There are actually many different live-action anime and manga projects in various levels of production, so read on to see what’s on the way and what we could be hyped to see next.
7). Samurai Champloo
Tomorrow Studios might be having a lot of success with One Piece, but it still has a major bomb under its belt with Cowboy Bebop. Now the studio is attempting to take on yet another classic anime from creator Shinichiro Watanabe, but is hoping for a much better result this time around. Samurai Champloo is now working on a new live-action series, and Watanabe is going to be much more closely involved with the production. It’s in very early stages of development, so we’ll have to see whether or not this can actually make it to screens.
6). One-Punch Man
One-Punch Man is another live-action project that’s so early in development that it doesn’t really feel real yet. Sony Pictures is working on a new feature film with Fast & Furious franchise director Justin Lin attached, and Rick and Morty writers Dan Harmon and Heather Campbell are attached to the script. But outside of being “confirmed” in various reports over the 2020s, nothing really concrete has been revealed. That means there hasn’t been too much to actually get excited for at this point. It feels too lofty of an adaptation right now.
5). Solo Leveling
Following Netflix finding a ton of success with its live-action efforts, a new live-action Solo Leveling series was first revealed to be in the works last year. Rather than being a Hollywood led production, however, this new series is going to be developed in Solo Leveling‘s home country of Korea with directors Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo attached. The first few additions to the film include Byeon Woo-seok as Sung Jinwoo, Han So-hee as Cha Hae-In, and Kang Youseok as Yoo Jinho. This all gives it much better odds than many of the other productions on this list, so we’ll have to see how it shakes out.
4). Mobile Suit Gundam
Netflix is also taking one what’s arguably the most famous mecha anime releases of all time with a new Mobile Suit Gundam movie. Legendary and Bandai Namco Filmworks have been developing a live-action take on the franchise for many years at this point, with production beginning in full earlier this Spring. Sweet Tooth’s Jim Mickle will be writing and directing the project, and it stars a cast led by big names like Sydney Sweeney, Noah Centineo, Michael Mando, and more. We’ve kind of already seen what a live-action Gundam could look like thanks to releases like Ready Player One, so we’ll have to see how this one shakes it all up.
3). Voltron
Amazon MGM Studios has been working with World Events Productions on a new take on Voltron for quite a while, but it started to really take shape last year. Filming on the new live-action film actually wrapped last year as well, and it’s actually going to be releasing straight to Prime Video when it hits. It’s currently the most “real” live-action production on the list so far, with Rawson Marshall Thurber (Red Notice, Central Intelligence) directing and writing alongside Ellen Shanman. This one also has major names in the cast like Henry Cavill and Sterling K. Brown, and ultimately has a ton of promise for success.
2). My Hero Academia
It’s been nearly a decade since My Hero Academia announced a new live-action movie was in the works with Legendary Entertainment and Toho, so it does seem a little less real than the others on this list. But at the same time, it’s made great advancements in the last few years now that Netflix acquired the licensing rights. Alice in Borderland director Shunsuke Sato is set to direct his first ever Hollywood production, and IT: Welcome to Derry writer Jason Fuchs is attached to the script. If there’s any franchise perfectly fit for an American take on it all, it’s this one.
1). Naruto
A live-action Naruto film has also been in the works for a very, very long time, but has been making big strides in the last few years. Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton is directing the film for Lionsgate, and has been writing the script with Tasha Huo. There’s a chance filming on this one could happen soon when Cretton frees up from his work with Marvel, so we’ll have to see whether or not this one takes more of a shape.
It’s got all of the pieces there and has the nostalgic bump to do well, but could also quickly become the worst thing anime fans have ever seen with Naruto’s design alone. It’s dealing in such extremes that you have to be hyped for whatever this final project will look like.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Images Courtesy of Marvel Comics -
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
