The Future of Attack On Titan Live Action

Attack On Titan’s final manga chapter is nigh, with the fourth and final season of the anime set to land early next year, but what many fans might not know is that there were plans for there to be a live-action adaptation of the series in the West with a movie directed by Andy Muschietti of Stephen King’s It fame. Though fans of the series know that Attack On Titan got two live-action movies in Japan in 2015 that created a new story covering Hajime Isayama’s dark epic, this would be the first time that an adaptation was created in the West should it take flight.

With regards to an Attack on Titan movie, Andy Muschietti’s version hasn’t been discussed much outside of a reference that the director made in 2019 during an interview, wherein the creator discussed his passion for the project and how much he was looking forward to diving into the adventures of the Survey Corps with a new take:

“I’m fascinated by Attack on Titan. It’s a story that I first saw the anime and then the manga… I find it fascinating. There’s a lot of themes there that attract me a lot, that I want to talk about. It’s also a fascinating horror adventure. There’s also all the elements of human drama. So I really want to do it.”

Muschietti released It: Chapter Two in 2019, and for the most part, it seems as if the director has been putting his time and effort into the upcoming DC Comics adaptation of “The Flash“, which will feature Ezra Miller’s take on the Scarlet Speedster as he attempts to navigate the multiverse. With Kodansha teaming up with Warner Bros Pictures for the Attack On Titan adaptation, it will be interesting to see what type of world the director creates for this new take on the Survey Corps and the Titans they battle.

Creator Hajime Isayama had also commented on the plans for the film back in late 2018 with SNK News, notng that as the negotiations had fallen into place:

“Regarding the film adaptation, many years have already passed since our initial negotiations started — but finally this day has come. First of all, I want to thank all the individuals who put great effort into making today a reality. Thank you for everything you’ve done so far, and please continue to support us from now on.”

On top of Andy Muschietti’s involvement, the movie was also set to be produced by David Heyman of Harry Potter fame, Masi Oka, who played a role on the NBC series Heroes and produced Netflix’s Death Note and The Meg, and Barabara Muschietti. With Muschietti’s background in horror with Stephen King’s It and Mama, he seems like a worthy choice to be helming the adaptation for the series that prides itself on creepy moments involving large, smiling behemoths. Later on, in the same interview, the director also made mention that he’d like to dive back into the world of live-action anime adaptations with a Robotech/Macross film.

The first two Attack On Titan films that landed in Japan in 2015 took a number of liberties with the original story, adding in a number of new characters and even going so far as to change the identities of a number of Titans from the series itself. While the second film did have a “post-credit scene” that hinted that the dangers to the Survey Corps were far from over, it doesn’t seem as if the world of the Japanese live-action adaptation will be revisited any time soon.

Attack On Titan would far from be the first anime franchise to get a live-action adaptation in the West, with series such as Dragon Ball, Battle Angel Alita, Ghost In The Shell, Death Note, and Speed Racer being only a few of the films that came before it. With Netflix currently working on two new live-action television series that will adapt One Piece and Yu Yu Hakusho, it’s clear that there is still a desire for anime properties in the West to get a new coat of paint.

Do you want to see this Hollywood adaptation of Attack On Titan come to life? What has been your favorite live-action anime adaptation to date? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Titans.