Live-action adaptations of anime haven't exactly fared well outside of Japan. Attempts like Death Note and the admittedly fun Cowboy Bebop just didn't seem to find the vibe, or the audience, that they'd hoped for. So what does this newest attempt have that might help it break free of that curse?
Sony Pictures' upcoming live-action One Punch Man movie has just landed its director, and it managed to attract some serious talent. Justin Lin, known for directing a substantial number of Fast & Furious movies as well as others like Star Trek Beyond, has taken the lead on the adaptation, likely giving many uncertain fans a reason to start hoping. If nothing else, the movie now has more potential for some truly epic action scenes.
Lin made headlines a few months ago when he suddenly stepped down as director of the upcoming Fast X, causing production to halt as the scramble began to find a suitable replacement. While that did eventually happen when Louis Leterrier took over shortly after, it was still a shock for long-time fans of the franchise. Starting with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Lin had 5 entries in the series under his belt, with Fast X all but guaranteed to be the 6th. But now, it seems his attention will be directed elsewhere.
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One Punch Man began life in 2009 as a webcomic by Japanese artist ONE, quickly gaining a large cult following that led to a proper manga release in 2012 with new art by Yusuke Murata. The story follows Saitama, a superpowered man who can defeat any opponent with a single punch. Living his life as a superhero, he grows bored when none of the evil forces he takes down can come close to matching his strength. So he ultimately sets out on a journey to find a worthy opponent. The series is still running to this day.
Such an action-filled story seems right up Lin's alley, so it will be interesting to see what he does with the material. He'll be joining a talented team that includes Venom and Jumanji writers Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, hopefully giving audiences a clearer picture of what they can expect. Lin will also produce the film alongside Avi Arad and Ari Arad, whose impressive resume includes the Spider-Man and X-Men films.
Given the broad appeal of One Punch Man and its willingness to parody typical anime tropes, it makes sense that such a project would eventually get a western adaptation. It's hard to predict how it will turn out, especially given how other anime adaptations have been received in the past. But it's got a lot of genuine talent behind it, so that's certainly a good start.
One Punch Man is set to begin production by the end of 2022.
Source: Deadline