10 Upcoming Movie Adaptations Of Japanese Anime (And If They Will Work)
3. Space Battleship Yamato
The Anime:
Predating both Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica, Space Battleship Yamato is a space saga that follows the survivors of an attack by an alien race that leaves Earth's atmosphere obliterated. Those who weren't killed seek refuge underground, though they have just one year before the radiation reaches their depth and wipes out what is left of the human race. Faced with extinction, the group decide to use the invaders' own technology against them in one last stand.
What We Know:
Outlets in Japan have reported that Skydance Productions, the Hollywood company behind Star Trek: Into Darkness and World War Z, had been given the green light to produce a live-action version of Space Battleship Yamato, which would be released sometime in 2017/18 under the name Star Blazers. Jack Reacher and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation director Christopher McQuarrie is slated to direct.
Will It Work?
McQuarrie is a huge fan of the original anime and was actually attached to the project as a writer before Skydance were involved. Being intimately familiar with the source material, the director is ideally positioned to bridge the gap between the studio bosses and the die-hard fans of the franchise, and he has enough blockbuster experience to make sure Star Blazers makes the desired impact.