Live-Action Adaptation Of Urasawa's 'Pluto' Planned

[Cth]

http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/illumination-entertainment-and-universal-eye-japanese-manga-pluto-for-new-pic-project/

Universal Pictures and Chris Meledandri's Illumination Entertainment are teaming with Tezuka Productions to turn the Japanese Manga Pluto into a live action/CG hybrid film. Pluto, which married a beloved Japanese cultural figure with the writer Naoki Urasawa and artist Takashi Nagasaki, has sold 8 million copies in Japan. The series updates characters from the Osamu Tezuka-created Astro Boy and sets the action in a world populated by giant robots and cybernetic citizens. Illumination, formed by former Fox Animation head Meledandri, came out of the gate this summer with a hit in Despicable Me. Meledandri follows with Hop, a live action/CG mix that bows April 2, 2011, with Russell Brand voicing the Easter Bunny. Right behind that is Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, the Ricky Gervais-created Flanimals, a new stop-motion version of The Addams Family with Tim Burton directing, and a sequel to Despicable Me, which has so far grossed north of $360 million worldwide.

"With Pluto, Naoki Urasawa has defined an imaginative world full of inventive action and adventure but it was his characters and heartfelt story that compelled me towards acquiring these rights," Meladandri said in a statement.

[hamgravy]

Gawd, the second half of that paragraph does NOT inspire confidence.

Pluto is a must-read for anyone who loves comics and life.

[Ben Weldon]

Nash?

[Patrick J]

I'd sooner/rather see a Live-Action adaptation of Urasawa's 'Monster,' spliced up into two or three movies (maybe). I was somewhat disappointed with the Anime Adaptation.

[Cth]

I agree, I'd rather see Monster.

If you can find it, check out Gary Whitta's live action adaptation of Akira.. it was encouraging.. budget would never fly, but someone out there is willing to adapt things properly.

[Dark Sasha]

No! No! America! Stop it!

[Patrick J]

I agree, I'd rather see Monster.

If you can find it, check out Gary Whitta's live action adaptation of Akira.. it was encouraging.. budget would never fly, but someone out there is willing to adapt things properly.

Will do!

As for Urasawa's work; it seems to me that when it's been adapted into other media... it's not the proper/right media for that story. '20th Century Boys' was fantastic, and nothing against the exceptional films, but it would've worked better in animation. 'Monster' was an amazing manga, but just an okay anime (I felt the lack of a strong, mood setting score/soundtrack hurt the overall production), but it would be fantastic in film. Master Keaton... worked as an animated feature.

As for Pluto? I strongly think they should stick to animation and avoid live-action. Part of the appeal of 'Pluto,' for me was the artwork, and how it strongly melded Tezuka's classical style with a more modern appearance, without sacrificing the classic look of characters, you can still recognize Tezuka's "casting" of characters, and it would just look, and feel better being a traditional 2D animation. Or at the very least a better attempt at a 3D Animated, Tezuka inspired work than Dreamworks Astro Boy (which I didn't hate, but I didn't love it either).