J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company and Paramount Pictures announced this week that they will be working with Toho, the producers of the original film, to develop a live-action version of Your Name.
Eric Heisserer, the Academy Award-nominated scribe behind Arrival ’s screenplay, will be penning the script for the live-action adaptation.
The original movie was created, written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. It tells the tale of a teenage boy and girl who realize they can swap bodies. Later, they desperately try to cross space and time in order to meet and stop a terrible disaster. You can check out an English-language trailer for the film below via Funimation:
“We are excited to collaborate with an extremely talented team in Hollywood,” said Yoshishige Shimatani, CEO of Toho Co, in a press release. “And to create with them a live-action version of the iconic Japanese film ‘Your Name.'”
“Just like in the film it feels like a dream,” said Genki Kawamura, the original film’s producer, who will work alongside J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber of Bad Robot. “Mr. Abrams and his team have captivated audiences in their masterful reinvention of known properties. And Mitsuha and Taki have found a perfect narrator, Mr. Heisserer, to tell their sci-fi infused love story, which gave the film such drive. The meetings so far have been creatively stimulating with fantastic ideas that no doubt will make for a great movie. I am greatly honored to work with these incredible creators in bringing to audiences the Hollywood live-action version of Your Name.”
Your Name grossed $303 million in the Japanese domestic box office and held the #1 spot for 12 weeks in a row. It released in select theatres across North America on April 7 in both English-language dub as well as its original Japanese-language (with English subtitles). Your Name was selected by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association as Best Animated Feature of 2016 and was also on the official consideration list for a Best Animated Feature Oscar nod.
Are you looking forward to J.J. Abrams’ lens-flare-tastic take on the surreal Japanese tale? How do you think the Hollywood live-action adaptation of Your Name will fare in comparison with Ghost in the Shell and other American takes on Japanese anime? Are you worried about the Dawson’s Creek -ifying of a very Japanese story or are you confident Abrams and Paramount can deftly adapt the story without losing its cultural richness? Feel free to lay your thoughts and opinnies in the comments section below.
