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Live-Action Gantz Gets Remake Inquiries from U.S., U.K.
posted on by Egan Loo
Update: The Cinema Today website reported on Friday that the producers of the two upcoming live-action Gantz films have already received inquiries about remake rights from the United States and the United Kingdom. The two Gantz films, which adapt Hiroya Oku's Gantz science-fiction action manga, will not open until the beginning of next year.
According to Cinema Today, 19 companies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other Western countries have also offered to distribute the two Japanese films themselves. 26 companies from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries and regions in Asia have made inquiries as well.
Principal photography has been completed for the two films, and post-production has begun. The first film is slated to be completed by November, and it will open in Japan at the beginning of 2011. The second film will open next spring.
Kazunari Ninomiya (Tekkonkinkreet, Letters from Iwo Jima) of the Arashi musical group and award-winning actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City, NANA, The Legend of Kamui) star as two friends who are resurrected after a deadly subway accident and forced to take on violent, mysterious missions. Cinema Today posted a picture of Matsuyama in one of his 500,000-yen (about US$5,400) "Gantz Suits." Yuriko Yoshitaka (Kaiji), Natsuna, and Takayuki Yamada (Train Man, Crows Zero, H2: Kimi to Ita Hibi) also star in this film from director Shinsuke Satō (The Princess Blade, Suna-dokei, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror).
Dark Horse Comics will publish the 10th volume of the original manga in North America next month. ADV Films released Gonzo's television anime adaptation of the manga.
Image © 2001 Gantz Film Partners
