In Feburary of this year, we reported that Warner Bros. and actor Leonardo DiCaprio had joined forces to make a live-action feature based on the anime classic Akira. Now Daily Variety brings word that the relationship will also yield a Ninja Scroll live-action movie. Warner Bros. has acquired rights to the anime franchise and DiCaprio’s Appian Way shingle will co-produce the adaptation with Japanese animation studio Mad House.
The first Ninja Scroll animated movie, written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, was released in Japan in 1993. The story is set in feudal Japan, where a ninja-for-hire must battle an old nemesis who is bent on overthrowing the Japanese government. His opponent is also the leader of a group of demons who possess superhuman powers. The property is licensed by Manga Ent. in North America.
Ninja Scroll will be penned by Alex Tse, who co-wrote Zack Snyder’s upcoming Watchmen and an adaptation of the Ray Bradbury novel The Illustrated Man, which Snyder will also direct for Warner Bros. Director Michael Man is reportedly directing Tse’s take on the Don Winslow novel The Winter of Frankie Machine, with Robert De Niro attached to star in the Paramount release.
