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WB Setting Peter Segal & Dan Mazeau to Develop the 'Bleach' Movie
by Alex Billington
February 22, 2012
Source: Variety
While we wait for Akira, how about a little Bleach? Warner Bros, who's developing the live-action Akira, is apparently now moving forward on developing a live-action adaptation of the manga/anime Bleach. We first heard about this project existing a few years ago, but Variety is now saying that Peter Segal (Anger Management, 50 First Dates, Get Smart) and writer Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans, The Flash, Jonny Quest) have come on-board to develop at the studio, and Segal "will produce with an eye toward possibly directing." Interesting update on another live-action anime project that's going to get a lot of fan resistance.
Bleach, with more than 75 million copies in circulation in Japan alone, follows Ichigo, a teenager with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow, he absorbs the power to hunt Hollows and dedicates his life to protecting the innocent and helping tortured souls find peace. "I've always been a huge fan of 'Bleach' and have great respect for its creator Kubo Sensei and the truly original and amazing world he has created in this manga," Segal told Variety. Segal's Callahan Filmworks partner Michael Ewing will also produce along with Masi Oka and VIZ Prods, part of the English-language publisher of Bleach. I'm very curious to see how this turns out, but obviously nervous for live-action adaptations of a popular manga.
26 Comments
1
Please no!
Imthinking.tyler on Feb 22, 2012
2
Interesting! Nice to see some more manga/anime to film adaptations come to live but I hope they won't suffer the same fate as some of the more recent adaptations (yes, I'm looking at you Dragonball and The Last Airbender...)
Neuromancer on Feb 22, 2012
3
awesome!
Judoman on Feb 22, 2012
4
WUT
Furphinator on Feb 22, 2012
5
Eh...maybe.
Xerxexx on Feb 22, 2012
6
Forever scarred if this movie is going to be produced. Never going to see Bleach the same way if this occurs.
Rumi-san on Feb 22, 2012
7
NO FUCKING WAY. OVER MY DEAD BODY, BITCHES.
bleachisjapanesedealwithit on Feb 22, 2012
8
After seeing Dragonball Evolution, I don't wanna see another awesome manga franchise ruined over some crappy Hollywood adaptation....
Azn2newbie on Feb 22, 2012
9
A few years from now we will probably be hearing that WB will have to delay the project due to budgetary concerns.
Michael Lee on Feb 22, 2012
10
Um...I'm torn. I love to see live action adaptions, especially of things I actually watch but I'm afraid of what will be done. Both DBZ's were bad, and I don't understand why. We have the tech, we totally have the tech but wtf happens between anime/manga and films that go so terribly wrong?
Barbara Ruiz on Feb 22, 2012
11
Just want to add, calm down person "bleachisjapanesedealwithit" Yes, it's Japanese by a Japanese manga-ka and creator, however...it also has many other cultural themes (Spanish, German, etc.) I'd totally be OK with this if they actually had people that really portrayed the characters..but they're only going to maybe do a snapshot of the series, maybe Soul Society? ... I'm also not completely OK with it, due to the fact Kubo Tite has repeatedly stated he does not want a live action movie adaptation. I guess people either ignore the sensei, or he doesn't care anymore as it will end soonish. My two, three, whatever, cents. ~Pixyteri <3
PT on Feb 22, 2012
12
and of course will inevitably played by white dudes....
Leo on Feb 22, 2012
13
Rupert Grint as Ichigo? LOL
Azn2newbie on Feb 23, 2012
14
LOL xD
Marilyn on Oct 14, 2012
15
Nooooooo please....don't
Enrisa 19 on Feb 23, 2012
16
It ain't even a good manga in my opinion. Yes it's famous but the story is too weak to make a good film.
TTumMM on Feb 23, 2012
17
two words for you "WILL NOT WORK". and i got the list to proof it: http://www.listal.com/list/anime-live-action-movies
nufan on Feb 23, 2012
18
uh count much?
Zangetsu on Feb 26, 2012
20
90% of all characters in bleach has facial features from caucasians, If they use good makeup and realistic costume it should be good, but the problem is finding someone who looks very alike the fictional characters, and can also act like them.
Jack on Aug 7, 2012
21
jesus, They're gonna cast Shia Lebeouf i know it.
Rain Spider on Feb 23, 2012
22
Live action could be good, the problem is that most adaptations these days have directors and producers who have no idea what the manga and/or anime looks like. They don't have a love for it and know it inside out like most fans do. But if done correctly it could be really good. My friend and I have talked about who should direct a bleach movie if it ever came to pass. Our top two have always been either Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) only a little less campy and little more gritty OR Zack Snyder (Sucker Punch). My vote lies mainly with Zack due to his grasp on grittiness when dealing with comic book / manga adaptations. Yes, generally a few of the actors will be "white dudes" as some have whined about. But taking a look at the actual characters of "Bleach" only some are actually Japanese. Just because it is an anime doesn't mean that automatically every character is Japanese, hell for that matter the way Kubo Sensei draws them they could be very much multicultural. I don't care if it's some "white guy" or asian or hell south african as long as the LOOK like who they are suppose to be. If you would like an all Japanese cast then you can see the live action that was done in Japan some years back. It was a theater deal, musical or something. Or just don't watch the live action movie. I am and have been a fan of Bleach since ep. 1 and while it has been quite litteraly all over the place with it's arcs I still love it. The biggest thing that can cause this to go horribly wrong is the action. This is why the above mentioned directors would have been my choices. Bleach is about action, that action will require great fx (yet subtle) and very good choreography to pull off. I hope all turns out well for the movie. I honestly have no high expectations. If it fails the way of DBE then all is not lost I still have Kubo Sensei to read every thurs.
Zangetsu on Feb 26, 2012
23
Yeah they should have Zack Snyder direct it not Peter Segal. Peter Segal would be a horrible director for an anime movie in my opinion and i also think they should have the characters multicultural not all Japanese. I want the characters to look exactly like they do in the show. If the character has white hair i want the character to have white hair not black. They need to have really good actors as well.
Hana on Jun 8, 2012
24
If this is going to be done right, I pray that the storyline is not watered down to the extent that we end up with another DBZ (sorry for being repetitive) struggling between realism and science-fiction. The basis of the plot and the characters are already strong enough to carry (albeit small in comparison) a large following by the U.S.! I honestly believe if you take the first arc do it exactly like the manga (meaning don't Americanize it) you could end up with a profitable movie even entertaining to a new audience. In my opinion casting will be the major issue, even though the manga/anime has Japanese cultured themes and characters it can easily be converted as long as the actors/actresses are believable-whether there asian or american isn't the problem. Translations of the content will also be immensely important because the humor/violence/romance/innuendo don't always speak to the majority of american viewers (unless their open-minded like the real fans), but again I think it could be easily converted to be better understood by new viewers. At the end of the day it is important to not only stay true for the real fans, but to try and gain more viewers by making the finished product more applicable for all. I'm happy most here do understand there are many cultural influences that play a role this is why it is possible to make this movie the right way!!!
glind on Mar 26, 2012
25
Noooooooooo, I hate you peter segal,why do you want to destroy it. We don't want american acter or actress take over the anime, TT_TT I'm sad now!
Sallo Hallak on Jul 6, 2012
26
I kinda want this to happen. It could be a really great movie but then again it can be bad, but if it's bad oh well all we wasted was $6 on movie tickets 😛 I want to see how this turns out 😀
Pinkberry on Aug 9, 2012
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