Live-Action Blood: The Last Vampire Gets U.K. Date

[democritus]

Pathe's remake of Production I.G's anime due in Britain, France in June

Pathé Productions, the British movie studio subsidiary of the leading French media and entertainment company Pathé, has announced the release date for the live-action adaptation of Mamoru Oshii and Hiroyuki Kitakubo's Blood: The Last Vampire anime. The live-action film, which was first announced over two years ago, is now scheduled to open in British theaters on June 12. Pathé also lists a June 17 date for France.

Chris Nahon (Jet Li's Kiss of the Dragon) is directing the production, based on a screenplay credited to the Production I.G anime's Kenji Kamiyama and Hong Kong's Ronny Yu. South Korea's Jeon Ji-hyun (under the credited name of Gianna Jun) plays the main character Saya, while Japanese actress Koyuki plays her opponent Onigen.

No American release plans for the movie have been officially announced yet. The Korean news website Star News reported last August that Universal Pictures acquired the domestic distribution rights, but the reported 2009 American release date is unconfirmed.

courtesy animenewsnetwork.com

[hesaki54]

I hope this will be good. Some of the live-action adaptations I have heard about recently sound like they could be really great, and there are just as many that I doubt I would want to watch.

[edmcel]

I thought that Blood: The Last Vampire was too condensed for anyone to understand the background for some events. I watched Blood+ before watching Blood: The Last Vampire, and more things made sense. I hope that the live action adaptation has a better explanation of the story and doesn't focus too much on the action!

[totali]

Too early to say if this will be good or not. I loved Blood+, but the movie that came out before it really wasn't to my tastes.

Funny how most movies adapted from anime/manga are done outside of Japan.

[revenantsoulx3]

I just saw the Japanese trailer for it, it actually looks pretty good!! And I'm not a fan of remakes or Hollywood done L-A's (though I go see them anyway xD).

[Cthismetalheart]

idk about this.... Er.... I want it to be something that doesn't take away from thee anime itself. When things leave the country in that matter, the "Japanese-ness" of it is kinda lost.

[slimslam]

I've been following the development of this movie ever since it's been announced. I think Jeon Ji-hyun can pull off a great Saya even though she's not Japanese.

[yasminkov]

well it looks good for now, and at least the actors should fit the roles for this one, and i loved the Blood movie and Blood+ series. crosses fingers they pull it off right and im booking tickets for the premiere here (yay for being british)

[Hadeswings]

I thought the movie was cool. I hope that the live action adaptation has a better explanation of the story.

[Wolfy]

Hopefully it will be shown somewhere I can get to. With an involvement from Production IG it should remain faithful to the characters and be a pretty good adaptation.

[FlameofFire]

that's great...i really like Blood+....
just hope it comes across as an interesting adaptation instead of a cosplay excursion...

[Ayamael]

Just saw the trailer, it seems like this movie could be interesting. Then again, I'm all for movies about girls kicking bloodsucker's rear... And I loved Blood+ (actually named my cat after the main character).
It might be odd to watch a European version of a Japanese movie, but at least, they picked an asian actress to play Saya. If it comes out in theatres in my neighboorhood, I might very well go and see it.

[ranten]

oww.. yay something that I think should be live-action... the gore will hide anything and everything... I just dont hope they try to add some type of story to make it better because its perfect as is.... (blood+ wasnt that good story wise...

[rurikomai]

just saw the teaser and its sooo bloody good
loads of actions, plus Jeon Ji-hyun, she speaks english from this film though she's korean
i think she can cope with that

[dei]

Well, original Blood animation was made under Mamoru Oshii's supervision, And now it's Kenji Kamiyama. Can't say I liked his Eden so much.