It appears that further live-action anime adaptations are highly likely, given the collaborative efforts of Crunchyroll and Sony to bring this vision to life.
The superhero effectively is not precisely dry, as there’s an entire ocean of IP to adapt from, however for Marvel, other than its huge success with Deadpool & Wolverine, the MCU has been waning in recognition for the reason that launch of Avengers: Endgame. That may indeed mark the beginning of a widespread superhero fatigue, prompting James Gunn’s new DC Universe to serve as a much-needed reality check; however, Hollywood has already shifted gears to explore video game adaptations, with films such as the Sonic the Hedgehog duology and The Super Mario Bros. Films based on popular video game franchises, such as The Last of Us and Fallout, are performing exceptionally well at the box office, garnering widespread acclaim. The film industry has another lucrative property on its radar: the realm of Japanese animation, or anime.
We’ve witnessed the success of live-action One Piece, with its unimaginable impact. Meanwhile, Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton is working on a Naruto film. Notably, there have been attempts to adapt Cowboy Bebop, Death Note, and Ghost in the Shell, but it’s clear that anime remains the next big thing alongside video games. It’s unlikely to surprise anyone that Sony and Crunchyroll are exploring the possibility of additional live-action adaptations given their existing collaborations.
Crunchyroll’s CEO Rahul Purini told Nikkei in an interview, as reported by ComicBook.com, that he envisions leveraging his company’s newly acquired status as a Sony Pictures Entertainment subsidiary to maximize its global reach and influence. We’re exploring possibilities for live-action adaptations of select anime properties in collaboration with our Japanese partners and parent company. “We’re considering creating these titles not just for Crunchyroll, but also for other platforms that will devote attention to anime, thereby fostering greater interest.”
While this statement lacks clarity, Sony’s diverse portfolio of anime studios, including its ownership stakes in prominent companies like Toei Animation, suggests numerous possibilities for creative collaborations and intellectual property developments. Count on additional iterations of your beloved anime series, whether they’re brilliant reimaginings or disappointing deviations from the original formula.
