Live-action anime adaptations are coming in fast and furious, with Lionsgate planning a Naruto movie, Netflix continuing the story of the live-action Straw Hat Pirates of One Piece, and Legendary Pictures finishing filming of a Mobile Suit Gundam film. Unfortunately, while many new takes are expected for the future of the anime industry, not every proposed story is making its way to the silver screen. Recently, an insider report has seemingly confirmed that Sony Pictures won’t be moving forward with a new live-action take on a legendary anime character, which had some serious creative power attached.
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Earlier this year, rumors were swirling that Hollywood director Jason Reitman was planning to create a new live-action movie focusing on Astro Boy, the legendary robotic superhero who helped push the anime medium out to the world. Reitman, for those who might need a refresher, is perhaps best known for directing the recent Ghostbusters revivals, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. According to reporter Jeff Sneider, the project has been nixed by Sony Pictures, with Reitman’s movie seemingly not moving forward. Luckily, if the report is true, this doesn’t mean that Sony isn’t stepping back from creating new live-action takes on major anime properties. As of the writing of this article, Sony is still working on a live-action One-Punch Man movie, with Fast & Furious director Justin Lin attached. The upcoming Saitama-centric film will also see fan-favorite creator Dan Harmon of Rick and Morty and Community fame helping to put together the script.
The History of Astro Boy in The West
Considering just how big and influential that Astro Boy has been in the anime world, it makes sense that we would eventually see a Western take on the soaring superhero be made by Hollywood. Unfortunately, the biggest instance that saw the android fight evil-doers was in 2009, and this movie was unable to be a smash hit at the box office, to put it lightly. Despite having a star-studded cast including the likes of Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Cage, the movie fell below its production budget at the box office. While it was by no means confirmed that the previous failure of Astro Boy was the reason why Sony didn’t go with Reitman’s version, it’s certainly something to consider.
Luckily, Astro Boy’s future is still a bright one, as at this year’s Annecy Animation International Film Festival, head writer Louis-David Delahaye revealed more details regarding an upcoming animated reboot. Rather than being a serious affair such as Netflix’s Pluto, the upcoming remake will blend far more humor and slice-of-life storytelling into the legendary anime world. The reboot has yet to reveal an official release date, though it is slated to land next year in 2027.
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