The cameras, they are a-rolling on the set of Death Note, Adam Wingard’s R-rated adaptation of the Japanese manga series.
Created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note is something of a cult phenomenon in the Land of the Rising Sun, spanning live-action features, TV series and even a musical. It’s now bound for a western release under the watchful eye of Wingard (The Guest), and Netflix confirmed today that principal photography is now underway.
Plans are in place to shoot across the States and Canada, with Nat Wolff (The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns) taking point as Light Yagami, an unassuming high school student who stumbles upon the titular, mysterious book. As Yagami-san soon realizes, anyone whose name appears in the Death Note will find that their days are numbered, and it’s up to our hero to track down the true, God-like owner of the cursed notebook.
Joining Wolff for the adaptation are Margaret Qualley (The Leftovers) as Mia Sutton, Keith Stanfield (Straight Outta Compton) as “L,” Paul Nakauchi (Alpha and Omega) as Watari, and Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire) as James Turner. The adaptation will be produced by Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Jason Hoffs, and Masi Oka.
Hit with early setbacks, with Warner Bros. ultimately passing up on the adaptation before it set up shop at Netflix, news that production is finally underway is music to our ears. Here’s what Wingard had to share about retaining the dark and brooding essence of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s series.
“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.”
Principal photography is underway on the set of Netflix’s R-rated Death Note adaptation, which is on course to make its bow at some point in 2017.