News

Hollywood Adaptations of Shotaro Ishinomori Manga

ITOCHU Corporation, a Japanese general trading company which also invests in entertainment businesses such as SKY PerfecTV!, has announced that Ishimori Entertaiment, Michael Uslan's Comic Book Movies (CBM), Itochu and LOTUS have reached an agreement to plan the production a live-action film based on a manga by Shōtarō Ishinomori.

Japanese newspapers report that matters such as which manga will be adapted for the film, who will direct and who will be starred are still under consideration. By next spring they will decide on the manga, perhaps a superhero story, that will be made into the film, and if things go well, the film will be released in 2008 at the earliest.

However ICv2 reports that the first movie will be Cyborg 009, which will start production in 2006 and is expected to be released theatrically in 2008.

Michael Uslan is the Emmy and Annie award winning executive producer of the five Batman movie, several Batman animated movies, The Swamp Thing and producer of Constantine and National Treasure among others.

Thanks to Vitruvius for this item.

English Language Announcement on Itochu's Website
Japanese Language Announcement