For fans of Japanese anime, Attack On Titan is a well-known franchise and series of films, TV shows and videogames.
The series follows a group of teenagers who have joined what's left of humanity's military in a desperate battle against gigantic humanoid-looking monsters that eat people. It's weird stuff, to be sure, but it's become a crossover hit with Western audiences and the first live-action film based on the series became the seventh highest grossing film to be produced in Japan.
Deadline now reports that David Heyman, who was one of the key people involved with the Harry Potter franchise, is currently working on securing the rights for Warner Bros. The idea is to remake the two-parter Japanese film for a Western audience and, should it succeed, expand out into a new franchise. No directors have been attached as of yet, as it's still in the negotiation stages.
Paramount currently has Ghost In The Shell, another popular anime franchise, set for release later this year and the early word is quite positive. As well as this, the live-action Akira remake has been doing the rounds for a number of years in development hell, with the likes of Jaume Collet-Serra and Zac Efron attached to it at various points.
Warner Bros. throwing their weight behind Attack On Titan is a big deal, primarily because it shows that the major studios are now prepared to draft in and adapt anime titles. The question is, who'll direct and how will it work out?
Via Deadline