Warner Bros Developing Live Action Ninja Scroll Movie

Posted on Sunday, October 26th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

Warner Bros will be brining Ninja Scroll to the big screen. The live-action big screen adaptation will be based on the popular 1993 Japanese Anime movie which spawned a popular animated series. Ninja Scrolls is considered one of the best Anime films ever produced. Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s original action/thriller tells the story of a Journeyman ninja-for-hire named Jubei, who “stumbles upon a plague, an evil clan of demons, a national crisis, and a beautiful ninja girl.” He is forced to fight and old nemesis, the leader of a group of demons each with superhuman powers, and is hellbent on overthrowing the government. Kawajiri later went on to create Vampire Hunter D, and directed a segment of The Animatix.

Watchmen movie scribe Alex Tse has been hired to write the script. The film is being produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, but DiCaptio supposedly has no plans to star in the film. The original film was given a rating equivalent to R in most countries (it was never rated in the U.S., but I have the feeling that Warner Bros wants to produce a broader version of the story. Ninja Scroll could definitely work if it wasn’t dumbed down and turned into a film geared towards kids. But I don’t have faith in Hollywood to produce an R-rated film based on this property. For an example, check out some of the images below.

It was once rumored that James McTeigue’s Ninja Assassin was a Ninja Scroll remake, but that turned out to be untrue. I wouldn’t be surprised if The Wachowski Brothers-produced film spawns a new found interest in the Ninja genre. I’m sure a Pirates vs. Ninjas movie is just around the corner.

source: Variety

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  • i'm still seething with outrage that they're doing a live-action remake of "Akira" and changing it to NYC with white people. Ugh.
  • Brendan
    Props on the hilarious selection of screenshots
  • nelson
    i think if they do a 300 style to this film with some crouching tiger hidden dragon elements as well it would be good its wb they have no problem doing rated R
  • Han Is Solo
    I don't get whats so wrong with the first photo.

    But I think I speak on behalf of all fans of NS;

    About damn time.
  • marz
    maaaaan i'd be in line opening day.just hope this idea doesn't go 'silent' like robotech did.never heard anything else bout that again.now only if they'd make a 'fist of the north star' hmmmmm
  • Xavier
    @marz

    There was a live-action Fist of the North Star, saw it on SciFi a couple of years ago and sure enough, it was low-budget cheese. I hope this Ninja Scroll adaptation won't disappoint because Jubei is THE man.
  • Philsauce
    woah buttsecks
  • MrMad2001
    Chan-wook Park would be perfect for this movie. Or Takashi Miike. I personally don't really enjoy their styles all that much, but I can see both fitting this movie.

    On the other hand I have faith that H-Wood will screw this up.
  • krackajap
    Han Is Solo,
    You sure you speak on behalf of Ninja Scroll fans? Somehow, I doubt that. No fan of anything would be excited about a Hollywood remake.
  • orange cinema
    jubei fucking kibagami?!? that dope ass fucking loner ninja is one of the greats! this is the one that brought me into anime, and i remember being blown the fuck away when he and the blind ninja fight in the forrest - among many other classic scenes.

    this could be amazing, but i gotta agree with peter, i don't have faith that hollywood will do a faithful R rating - despite the fact that if this film is done as faithful as snyder does his adaptations, it could be something revolutionary.

    could 'fist of the north star' follow? what about 'trigun', or 'macross plus'?

    all i know is i won't be suprised if it gets the same hollywood raping, that so many other great asian films do...but maybe dicaprio's appian way will prove to be a solid company with this and 'akira'. we can always hope!
  • Ken Redtail
    well, fortunately, we've seen huge smash hits like 300 and Kill Bill, so we know the violence and the graphicness of it would be something tolerable.

    I'm willing to see how this plays out.
  • whatever
    The Kids will love this.
  • Anti-Septic
    This is gonna suck! I have no faith in Hollywood to make a rendition of Jubei that will not suck. Its just this, it has to be graphically violent and bloody, with intense sexual scenes to really bring this anime to life. Hollywood will instantly be shooting for a PG13 rating even before the script is developed and that dooms the entire project right there.

    Please shoot me now and save me from this nightmare!
  • jury nelson
    Not to be a huge nerd, but Kawajiri didn't create Vampire Hunter D. He directed the second of two animated movies based on a then-20 year old character.

    That said, it's like SERIOUSLY, hollywood. Can't you just write something? Does every damn movie have to be a brand?
  • Chris
    Gonna wait and see.

    I hope it's good, though. I love Ninja Scroll.
  • Mag
    It better be NC-17
  • Captain Awesome
    NS is one of my favorite movies. And I would like to see it turned into a Rated R live-action film. But only if they capture the fierce fighting and gore. Lots of ninjas and Jubei being portrayed exactly like he is in the animated film.

    I hated the japanese tv series based on this, and I just read that Mad House plans to do a proper animated sequel to this. But just haven't pinned a script they like.
  • orange cinema
    @ ken redtail & all

    ken redtail brings up a really good point with 300 & kill bill. the violence in ninja scroll is easily comparable to both those films - especially the crazy 88's brawl. yes, ninja scroll was quite graphic, but go-go does disembowel that perv with the funky teeth, pretty gruesomely...and 300 was pretty violent to say the least.

    the key issue, is that we have yet to see the anime style of brutality properly translated to the screen. now, i could live with a tame interpretation of the NS sex scenes - others might bitch, i wouldn't mind. but as for the fighting/deaths in NS, they represent the harsh nature of each killer, and highlight the true skills of jubei - which is why they cannot be shorthanded.
  • KAWAJIRI MUST DEFINITELY BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT !!!! AND IT MUST BE X OR R RATED !!!
    I REALLY PREFER TO WATCH AN 2D "NINJA SCROLL 2" ANIME RATHER THAN THIS.....
  • Bruce Darren Acosta
    NINJA SCROLL MOVIE.

    What the fuck is going on here Leo DiCapario producing Ninja Scroll movie bullshit,Mortal Kombat producers Threshold Entertainment was going to make the movie but now Warner Bros is doing the film what a butch of crap.
    Thank you for ruining everything man.
    BRUCE ACOSTA
    AUSTRALIA.
  • Christopher Marc
    I wouldn't be surprised if the Wachowskis end up directing this. If that would be the case it wouldn't be dumbed down and the hard violence would stay. Considering that the Matrix borrowed from many anime films which included Ninja Scroll. I'm just worried they won't be able to have an all Asian cast or that they change the setting from feudal Japan. I hope Dong-Kun Jang (Brotherhood) ends up playing Jubei rather than Rain who most likely will be offered the role. The announcement doesn't really mean much to me, it could be WB just buying up properties. Since Akira has a director but no progress has happened in almost a year. Whatever happened to "fast tracked for summer 2009"?.
  • BeyondtheTech
    The fourth picture is all wrong.

    That's not how to properly perform the Heimlich maneuver.
  • jank
    all i'm going to say is this is one of my favorite anime's ever. and i hope hollywood doesn't fuck it up. but even if they do, it will still be one of my favorite anime's ever. my opinions on the the original film wont change. hollywood can't take that from me.
  • Aaron
    I agree with Mag. If this isn't bordering on NC-17 rating, or if I don't hear any stories of them having to constantly re-cut in order to get an R, I won't see this movie. Not in the theater, not on video, not on late night television.
    Han, you do NOT speak for "NS fans." To this day, Ninja Scroll is one of the few anime that I can watch to the end and not get bored or lose characters mid-way. And yes, some of its appeal is the graphic nature. They're fighting DEMONS, of course there should be blood. I remember the first time I saw Tessai gulp blood out of that severed limb, it was one of the most disturbing things I had see at that point. And what about Kagero? She can't have sex with men without poisoning them. How exactly is that supposed to translate. They'll probably make it a much lamer "kiss of death" poison. The more I type, the angrier I get, so I will stop here.
  • Nish
    Whilst I don't like hollywood remakes, I don't mind most of them because they offer something different. People complain about an American remake of Ninja Scrolls or Akira or whatever (which I have been guilty of many times) but because they've been remade doesn't mean the originals will go away. If I'm not happy with an American remake, I can always go back to the original.
  • shazaaaam!
    Ninja scroll is outdated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Pirates vs. Ninjas...I'm there!
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