In development for a while, the adaptation of horror manga Death Note is headed our way in a couple of months after Netflix stepped in to back it. The latest trailer is now online.
Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s work focuses on Japanese high school student Light Yagami, who comes across a handy notebook penned by the death god Ryuk, which allows its owner to kill anyone he pleases by writing their name in the book and picturing their face. Light decides to use his newfound power to rid the world of evil, and the series follows his progress, and that of the cops on his trail. Killing in the name of altruism is all very well, but the police still don’t like it much.
In the film, Nat Wolff is playing Light Turner, but Ryuk is here in all his cackling, porcupine-esque glory, brought to life by Willem Dafoe. The cast also includes Margaret Qualley, Lakeith Stanfield, Masi Oka and Shea Whigham, with Adam Wingard calling the shots. Can it avoid the concerns of manga and anime fans that dogged Ghost In The Shell? Time will tell...
Death Note hits Netflix on 25 August.