Hollywood acquires more rights to make live-action anime series/movies

[Tenshi no Ai]

From ANN:

"A Variety article on Hollywood anime adaptations revealed new details on several upcoming productions:

Since 1997, Hollywood has been acquiring major anime properties like "Sailor Moon," about a group of young girls gifted with magical powers and skimpy costumes; "Speed Racer," a '60s series about a heroic racecar driver; and "Battle Angel Alita," in which a skull-cracking female cyborg searches for her past.

...

Dozens of projects are already rumbling into production. Weta is attached to "EVA" and already started creating concept art. James Cameron is directing "Battle Angel," and he's spent the past 10 months developing the technology necessary to bring it to the bigscreen. "Pet Shop of Horrors," another Tokyopop project that's a "Twilight Zone"-esque series about a mysterious pet store, is set up with Rogue Pictures, and even Roy Lee is developing a TV series based on the acclaimed "Witch Hunter Robin" anime."


So now Sailor Moon IS comfirmed to made into... something?! Witch Hunter Robin I can see... possible even Pet Shop of Horrors... actually I can see Speed Racer as a movie or something too :/

[Linksquest]

Speed Racer I can see becoming a really good movie, if they do it right.

Sailor moon with either be awesome, or will bomb, there really can't be a middle ground with that. I hate to be pessimistic, but I can see a Sailor Moon movie being horrendous in the hands of American writers, directors, and producers.

I wonder whose storyline they will base it on, the original or DiC? I also am wondering which arc they will base it on: original, R, S, Super S, or Sailor Stars... or if they will make a completely new storyline, or combine a few arcs together.

[RedMage]

Speed Racer I can see becoming a really good movie, if they do it right.

I don't think so. Speed Racer is like the #1 stereotypical badly-dubbed Japanese cartoon people who know nothing about modern anime think of when we bring it up. It could never overcome the preconceptions, no matter how well it was done.

I'm on record as dearly hoping the live-action Eva movie(s) never happen.

[kyouki]

I'm afraid to watch Sailor Moon Hollywood-version...

[TheMelodyMaker]

I'd like to see them make a live-action Hamtaro.

[uc pseudonym]

You say that, and it's funny, but I think if you contemplate that for a while you'll realize the horror...

Basically, I'm ambivalent about this. Specific titles I might become more interested in, and I suppose there is a fair chance I would see some of these. I've been seeing movies based on American comics books for a while, anyway.

[CAAOutkast]

I'm afraid to watch Sailor Moon Hollywood-version...

I'm afraid to watch ANY hollywood version of anime.

Steve

[Cap'n Nick]

I'm not too keen on this idea. If I'm not into the anime I wouldn't care too much about the movie, and most of the anime I do care about would be spectacularly stupid in live action. Heck, even in anime they balance precariously on the brink of stupid, sometimes plunging spectacularly into the chasm of idiocy and bringing me along for the ride on the snow board of suspension of disbelief! But then, stupid can be fun, too. I suppose I'll keep an open mind about it.

I remember a few years ago they were talking about making an American Sailor Moon movie, but it fell through, supposedly because the toy merchandising rights were already spoken for.

[Roy Mustang]

even Roy Lee is developing a TV series based on the acclaimed "Witch Hunter Robin" anime.

I see the LA Witch Hunter Robin is back from the dead! I thought Sci-Fi Channel give up on it and killed it. SciFi Channel was the one that started the project in 2003.



*smacks LA WHR with a shovel*

And stay dead, you zombie tv show!


Wingzero22

[mitsuki lover]

The live action Witch Hunter Robin was supposed to air on Sci Fi Channel but so far it has gone nowhere.
Of all the projects I would have the most hopes for the live action Neon Genesis
Evangelion.Considering the popularity of Sci Fi it would probably be the most likely to succeed.
I agree though that a live action Hollywood version of Sailor Moon sounds like something to be dreaded.One can only imagine that the girls' uniforms would end up being even MORE skimpy than in the anime and the dialog being campier.
For the moment I would rather try to get my hands on the live action version of
Boogiepop:Boogiepop And Friends.

[Sakaki Onsei]

Hollywood will screw up Sailor Moon so much.

I think I'm going to run...quickly...away from Hollywood.

[ShiroiHikari]

Live action Sailor Moon has already been done in Japan. Geez. We don't need a crappy Hollywood version.

However, the Battle Angel Alita thing sounds interesting. James Cameron is at least a halfway competent filmmaker, so it might turn out okay.

Evangelion, though? Pshaw. I can just see them watering down the plot, changing all the characters. I hope the project falls through.

[Tenshi no Ai]

However, the Battle Angel Alita thing sounds interesting. James Cameron is at least a halfway competent filmmaker, so it might turn out okay.

Evangelion, though? Pshaw. I can just see them watering down the plot, changing all the characters. I hope the project falls through.

With Battle Angel, I anticipate to see this for ONE reason: it's expected to be in theatres around 2009. Why so late? Because the technology to create a full 3-D atmosphere for theatres is supposed to be completed by then^^ Not too sure what the manga is really about, but I can just picture how amazing it would be in 3-d (and I mean WITHOUT the glasses, of course^^)

With Eva... I just LOVE the production skethes! Not TOO worried plot-wise, but as an art form, I'm anticipating it^^

[Roy Mustang]

I want a LA Gundam movie.


Oh wait! We had one called G-Saviour and we know how well that one went.



You have to remember that Japan has tired LA vers of anime and well, you know how well they did on those.

Wingzero22

[mechana2015]

With Battle Angel, I anticipate to see this for ONE reason: it's expected to be in theatres around 2009. Why so late? Because the technology to create a full 3-D atmosphere for theatres is supposed to be completed by then^^ Not too sure what the manga is really about, but I can just picture how amazing it would be in 3-d (and I mean WITHOUT the glasses, of course^^)

O.o I'm not sure I want to see this in 3D...this is a very violent series... very good... but very violent. I don't want to see heads exploding in 3D.

I heard the delay was due to the alita charachter being all CG.

[Tenshi no Ai]

I heard the delay was due to the alita charachter being all CG.

I doubt that for 2 reasons: CG doesn't take THAT long to do (if it takes a shorter time to do than cartoons, not sure how long for realism though^^) and there was a website that posted, what was thought to be an audition sheet for an "angelic and graceful" person to play on the new James Cameron movie.

[Tommy]

FMA and Trigun COULD work.

[mechana2015]

I doubt that for 2 reasons: CG doesn't take THAT long to do (if it takes a shorter time to do than cartoons, not sure how long for realism though^^)

That was the thing...it was supposed to be indestinguishable from the actress. I think the deal was that they were making a digital stunt double actually, and it had to be perfect to the actress.

[Ichigo_89]

I'd have pretty high expectations for an Eva movie. If they don't do awesome, it's gonna suck. Battle Angel sounds like a perfect movie for James Cameron to do. (Terminator anyone...?) I can see a Witch Hunter Robin movie doing well. Yup, should prove interesting how all of these will turn out.

[Tenshi no Ai]

I'd have pretty high expectations for an Eva movie. If they don't do awesome, it's gonna suck. Battle Angel sounds like a perfect movie for James Cameron to do. (Terminator anyone...?) I can see a Witch Hunter Robin movie doing well. Yup, should prove interesting how all of these will turn out.

With the Eva movie, I'm somehow not TOO worried about it... they're getting the same studio that did the LotR movies (although, looking back at those graphics you can tell they've slightly improved since then^^ Although, not like they wouldn't improve slightly either...) Didn't realize James Cameron did Terminator, and since he made that into a huge hit, yeah Alita should work too^^ With WHR, it's supposed to be a TV show, not a movie :/ I can almost see people seeing this as a ripoff of Buffy or something though (those that haven't seen the anime and stuff). Yeah it's quite different, but yeah know...

[ChristianKitsune]

I read in Anime Insider like a year and half ago that they were gonna make a Real bout high School LA and Melissa Joan Hart was gonna star in it..

[Tenshi no Ai]

I read in Anime Insider like a year and half ago that they were gonna make a Real bout high School LA and Melissa Joan Hart was gonna star in it..

I too remember that (and now that I think about it, I DO remember her being asked about the part or whatever). But she's like, HOW old now? If it was like a decade ago she played a teenaged witch, then why would she like as a 20-30ish year old play the part of someone in high school again? (Unless maybe she played a teacher or something.) Bugs me a little bit in movies that if they have the talent, yeah 28 yr olds can play someone who's like 18 *cough*OCreferance*cough* :/ It was then that I figured out something that I was thinking about for some time: why people in high school looked SO much older than in real life... :/

[mechana2015]

This reminds me.... I need to do a review of the Battle Angel manga.

[Maledicte]

Pet Shop of Horrors?

DGHIUGHSOITHHAGSHE

YES!!!!!!!

[Tommy]

They could go somewhere with GITS. Anyone agree?

[lj1958]

Yep, I was pretty sure the live action WHR was dead too.

Had mixed feelings about it. If soneone bothered to do it well, it'd make a good live action show.

Very politically INCORRECT in the US, though. They'd have to ride a very fine line regarding pagans and wiccans, making sure to distance the genetic "witches" from a religion.

And given Da Vinci Code, they might want to make sure Solomon or whatever they'd call it was distanced from the Catholic church.

[Trackball]

There are some things that just don't work in live action.

Sailor Moon is one of them.

I remember hearing about a proposed LA SM film back around 1999, which would've starred Kirsten Dunst as the title character, and Geena Davis as Queen Beryl. (Davis was seriously approached about the film, and she REALLY wanted to do that role--it turns out she's a huge fan of the show.)

Instead she makes propaganda like Commander-in-Chief. Go figure.

[Roy Mustang]

So now Sailor Moon IS comfirmed to made into... something?!

Not really. I did a little studying on this last night that LA anime movies.


I feel that the headline is misleading. The Daily Variety reported at one time that there was Sailor Moon LA project and that Disney was one of the backers for it. This was about 5 years ago that it was reported and the paragraph that The Daily Variety reported on was about the same headline as what the Variety is using now.


Here is a list of animes that the rights have been bought, so that they can make LA ver of it.

Speed Racer (pre works from what I know)
Transformers (in the works)
Monster (the rights to the story have been bought)
Dragonball Z (dead and its not going to happen)
Evangelion (dead for now)
Real Bout High School (who knows)
Battle Angel Alita (in the works)
Petshop of Horrors (rights to the story have been bought)
Sailor Moon (maybe)
Witch Hunter Robin (Well, since this was in the works since like 2003 or so and I haven't seen it yet or heard anyting from the Sci Fi Channel. I will have to see it to believe it.)


Wingzero22

[Tenshi no Ai]

Here is a list of animes that the rights have been bought, so that they can make LA ver of it.

Speed Racer (pre works from what I know)
Transformers (in the works)
Monster (has been bought
Dragonball Z (dead and its not going to happen)
Evangelion (dead for now)
Real Bout High School (who knows)
Battle Angel Alita (in the works)
Petshop of Horrors (has been bought
Sailor Moon (maybe)
Witch Hunter Robin (Well, since this was in the works since like 2003 or so and I haven't seen it yet or heard anyting from the Sci Fi Channel. I will have to see it to believe it.)


Wingzero22

I dissagree with the Eva one. This is from the unofficial live-action site:

"Some confirmation in Boston
May 29 2006, 02:50 PM, by FofR
Comments: 23, Read and add comments at the forums
Nothing new to see, just more confirmation that everything is still being worked upon behind the scenes, as announced at the Anime Boston 2006 expo:

"ADV also made several confirmations during the panel. The biggest and most exciting of them all was that the Live Action Evangelion Movie is confirmed and is going through pre-production." -Krazy Gamers

Thanks Camarokris"

New concept art was also just newly updated on the site. It's been going through pretty steady, actually^^ I also saw on the site about a week ago, saying that a rough script was just made.


Also, Monster was bought too?! Since when? I was looking on the ANN forums about the news update on the other movies, and all I heard was a comment made like "if anything might be successful over here, they might as well use Monster". But nothing like an actual movie was said... at least, not on this side of the planet^^

[Roy Mustang]

Also, Monster was bought too?! Since when? I was looking on the ANN forums about the news update on the other movies, and all I heard was a comment made like "if anything might be successful over here, they might as well use Monster". But nothing like an actual movie was said... at least, not on this side of the planet^^

It came from Anime Nation news back in July 8, 2005

Josh Olson has agreed to write a screenplay adaptation of Naoki Urasawa's Monster for New Line Cinema. Oslon, who wrote the script for New Line's adaptation of "A History of Violence," will also script a second Monster movie for the studio.