Currently in the midst of filming Justice League, where he’s set to take up arms as Aquaman cohort Vulko, Willem Dafoe has reportedly agreed terms to join Adam Wingard’s Death Note as Ryuk the Shinigami.
Word comes by way of Mashable, confirming that the illustrious Dafoe will star opposite Nat Wolff – reteaming with the up-and-comer following dramatic tearjerker The Fault in Our Stars.
Once in the early stages of development over at Warner Bros., Death Note will now be distributed via Netflix come 2017. It’s based on Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s morbid Japanese manga, chronicling the story of a teenage student (Wolff as Yagami) who stumbles upon the titular supernatural notebook that harbors the ability to kill anyone simply by scribbling their name down on its pages. Moral conundrums ensue.
Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Jason Hoffs, and Masi Oka are among the producers on board to oversee Death Note, which is currently lensing in various parts of Canada and the States. It joins Lone Wolf and Cub and Ghost in the Shell in Hollywood’s renewed drive for spinning out live-action renditions of Japanese manga and here, Wingard assures fans that Netflix’s adaptation will stay true to its source material.
“I am honored to be working with this great cast and I look forward to bringing Tsugumi and Takeshi’s unique story to a global audience. Our vision for Death Note has always been to bring this captivating story to the screen for its longtime manga fans and to introduce the world to this dark and mysterious masterpiece. The talent and diversity represented in our cast, writing, and producing teams reflect our belief in staying true to the story’s concept of moral relevance — a universal theme that knows no racial boundaries.”
Netflix’s R-rated Death Note adaptation is expected to bow in 2017.