The conversion of beloved anime and Manga titles into live-action works is showing no signs of slowing down, even with the tepid reactions to the likes of Ghost In The Shell. Cowboy Bebop is the latest project headed for a live-action paint job.
Tomorrow Studios is partnering with the anime's original studio, Sunrise, to turn the basic concept into a new TV series that will swap the animated action for real-life actors. Cowboy Bebop, which gained a reputation as one of the greatest anime series ever despite a relatively short run, is a Western set in space, chronicles the misadventures of Spike Spiegel and his assorted crew of bounty hunters known as Cowboys. They offer to round up the galaxy's worst criminals and encounter incredible dangers. While they often end up saving the day, they always work for a price and leave a trail of destruction behind them.
Thor: Ragnarok co-writer Christopher Yost is aboard to start the writing process, with the Midnight Radio producing team (made up of writers Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg) on hand to consult.
At one point, a live-action movie was planned, with Keanu Reeves attached to play Spike, but that has since fallen into limbo.
"We are excited to work with Sunrise in bringing this beloved anime to the US and global marketplace as a live-action series," says Tomorrow Studios boss Marty Adelstein. "The animated version has long resonated with audiences worldwide, and with the continued, ever growing, popularity of anime, we believe a live action version will have an incredible impact today." The next step will be to find a channel to carry the series.