Production Begins on Adam Wingard’s Death Note

The manga Death Note, written by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, is a certifiable cultural phenomenon in Japan, where it’s spawned an anime series, a live action TV series, and 3 feature films (with a 4^th purportedly in the works). Last week, Collider reported that production has begun on an American remake with director Adam Wingard (You’re Next, The Guest) helming the project.

Death Note follows the complex life of Light Yagami, a gifted high school student who stumbles across an enchanted notebook; anyone whose name is written in it will die within 24 hours. Determined to make the world a better place by eliminating society’s least desirable, Light becomes a god-like vigilante, but he’s eventually seduced by the absolute power the notebook provides him. He’s guided by a mischievous “Shinigami” (a supernatural entity) named Ryuk and pursued an equally gifted young detective named “L”.

In the remake, Light will be played by Nat Wolff (The Fault in Our Stars); “L” will be played by Keith Stanfield (Straight Outta Compton).

Wingard talked to Collider about what promises to be an exciting project:

“I am honored to be working with this great cast and I look forward to bringing Tsugumi and Takeshi’s unique story to a global audience. Our vision for Death Note has always been to bring this captivating story to the screen for its longtime manga fans and to introduce the world to this dark and mysterious masterpiece. The talent and diversity represented in our cast, writing, and producing teams reflect our belief in staying true to the story’s concept of moral relevance — a universal theme that knows no racial boundaries.”

No word yet on when Death Note will hit theaters and/or VOD, but we’ll keep you posted as details emerge.