Leonardo DiCaprio must like the idea of turning anime into live action.
First his production company, Appian Way, bought up the rights to do a live action adaptation of the classic Japanese animated film Akira. Now, according to a story in Variety, Appian Way has secured the rights to make a live action version of the 1993 animated feature Ninja Scroll. Set in fuedal Japan, the film revolves around a ninja-for-hire trying to stop an old enemy from toppling the government.
There had been some rumors that the upcoming, Wachowski Brothers-produced Ninja Assassin was actually a live action version of Ninja Scroll, but this news puts those rumors to rest. The Wachowski’s film is being directed by James McTiegue and was written by Changeling scripter J. Michael Straczynski.
Alex Tse, who recently worked with director Zack Snyder on his epic comic book adaptation Watchmen as well as an adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s seminal short story collection The Illustrated Man for Snyder to direct at Warner Brothers, has been hired to write the screenplay. No director has been attached to the project and it is doubtful that DiCaprio is looking at this as a vehicle for himself.
