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Shane Black Describes Changes He Opposed to Warner's Death Note

During his Long Beach Comic Con panel on Saturday, director Shane Black gave further details about the changes that would have been in Warner Brothers' planned live-action film adaptation of the Death Note manga, but he was able to oppose. According to the director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and the upcoming Iron Man 3 film, the studios initially wanted to give the main character Light Yagami a new background story to explain his "downward spiral" as a villain.

The new background would have had a friend of Light murdered when he was young. When Light obtains the Death Note — a notebook with which he can put people to death by writing their names — he uses it to seek vengeance.

However, Black emphasized that he opposed this background change and the suggested removal of the Shinigami (Gods of Death), and added that neither change is in his planned version. Warner had acquired the rights to the series from previous rights-owner Vertigo Entertainment in 2009. Warner then hired Black for the project, although it has not yet been green-lit.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.

Source: Fandango via City on Fire