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Wachowskis' Ninja Assassin Apparently Not Ninja Scroll... 'cause WB's Got the Scroll Rights

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Column by Scott Green
Rumors have persisted that the Wachowski produced, James McTeigue directed Ninja Assassin was an adaptation of popular (in North America) anime feature Ninja Scroll.
Guess not...
Assassin may have another Ninja to contend with, because as Anime News Network points out, Variety has revealed that Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to adapt "Ninja Scroll" into live action. The feature, which will be co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way and Madhouse,the studio behind the anime, will be written by Alex Tse (Watchmen).
Appian Way will also be working with WB on the live action adaptation of sci-fi anime classic Akira.
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+ Expand All
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for us.
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i was supposed to make Akira and Ninja Scroll...bah!
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Always room for more Ninjas, just caught Enter the Ninja on-demand a few nights ago and it rocked in an 80s kind of way. I could see the Wachs/McTiegue doing a nice job. Also with Akira and Ninja Scroll DiCaprio is really trying to corner the market on Anime re-makes.
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As long as we're resurrecting old chestnuts...
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I think everyone will be Ninja'ed out. Wasn't Cowboy Bebop being developed? Plus there's Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe.Too many ninjas in the pipeline.
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The Wachoswski's just directed a big budget live action anime project Speed Racer. It bombed and shamed everyone associated with it. No way do they get a budget to work on a similar project. the world just doesn't work that way.
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Listen.... There's never enough ninja stuff, as far as I'm concerned. We need a few great modern ninja stories. Having said that... Akira should NEVER be made into a movie. And you say Michael Mann? I approve of his digital cinematography and realism, but if I heard Jay Z or Adioslave over a Tokyo motorcycle chase... I'd just hang myself.
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No CGI enemies to contend with!
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They've also made Warners a couple of billion dollars from the Matrix movies and V for Vendetta. One bomb - even if was a pretty huge one - won't end their careers. They'll be given the chance to fuck up one or two more sure-fire hits (creatively, not financially) first.
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Has a beer and cheets on his wife. Oh, I love AICN nostalgia...
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more please
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"Ninjas! Ingeniously disguised as a hedge!"
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I have faith in Dicaprio. Also, the thought of him in Akira just...works.
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If it did, pity. My partner & I thought it's possibly the best live action film made from a Saturday morning cartoon.
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Cameron or Ridley for Akira, or maybe Chris Cunningham
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VANISH!! *smoke pellet* Muwahahaha...
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What ever happened to the Lone Wolf & Cub/Shogun Assassin remake that was supposed to happen. I remember hearing something about this flick years ago. WTF?
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Speed Racer was awesome, even though it bombed, so don't dis it.
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How could this be a remake of 'Ninja Scroll'? Ninja Scroll was set in medieval Japan, with supernatural beings, and a 'like I give a fuck' antihero as the protagonist. Anything I've read about this movie has NOTHING to do with Ninja Scroll. Anyone who's seen Ninja Scroll could have told you that straight away.
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I enjoyed Speed Racer, thought it was a lot of fun, although I could see why it tanked, hard to 'pigeon-hole' for the American market.
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I was a big fan of McTeigue's directorial debut with V for Vendetta and I have lots of love for the Wachowskis. Sure, the Matrix sequels are pretty crappy, but Reloaded had some great moments and I fucking loved Speed Racer. Glad to see some other people on here sharing the Speed Racer love, too!
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Kaneda, and Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Tetsuo...it could seriously be the best movie ever made...if done right.
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The first time I saw Ninja Scroll was as a fansub with its original title, Wind Ninja Chronicle. I've never really been able to call it anything else.
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I was 12 at the time. Totally blew me away.
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Such a well made family film. Just well made, on a narrative and technical level. Too long for kids but ambitious. And Bomb means nothing. Children of Men technically bombed.
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That was a fucking awesome film, the wachowskis did a great job adapting speed from cheesy anime to super glossy cheesy live action. Most fun I've had in theaters.
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Oct 27, 2008 4:35:48 AM CDT
Akira live action featuring Rosie O'Donnell nude scene
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Thrillho77 is the sexiest tomboy beanpole on the planet.
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but could Hollywood really make a movie as brutal as the Ninja Scroll anime in this day and age? maybe, we'll see.........
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one of those big round lollypops you get as a kid. It looks really colourful, tasty and fun, and for about 10 minutes it is. Then you get over the initial excitement of having what you want and you realise that despite the variety of colours it will taste the same all the way to the end. You’ve always wanted this lollypop, so you stick with it, even though you are starting to feel a little sick. About half way through, you think you’ve made a horrible mistake, but you’ve got this far so you may as well finish it. When your lollypop is finished you’re too sick to say anything, you’re relieved the experience is over and you never want to have another lollypop again for the rest of your life.
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As far as I know, the only thing Speed Racer suffered was it's box office returns, which means shit. It's a damn good film with actual vision and far ahead of it's time. Didn't shame anyone involved. By your logic Children of Men also shamed everyone involved. CHILDREN OF FUCKING MEN!
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while i fully understand the analogy you're *trying* to make, please never again in your life compare speed racer to children of men. just... don't.
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But yeah - the Wachowskis will certainly direct again - look at Shamalama - he is still directing. As for Ninja - meh - we saw enough "two Oriental warriors running side by side with swords drawn" and "sword slices - leaves drop in slow motion - eyes widen - single drop of blood spills down blade" shots in Crouching Tiger ... then Purple Butterfly ... then Emperor and Assassin .. then Hero ... then Warriors of Heaven and Earth ... then ... point is people got burned out. Wait at least 5 years - come back with fresh look.
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Good to know you have the visual style of a film that hasn't even been made yet down. It would be impossible for an adaptation of NS could be different or unique? BTW Wuxia =/= Ninjas
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Remember that? She was getting licked in her cooter by the big rock guy and her Poison pussy juice™ made him crack into a million pieces! I want her action figure! Now that's a Ninja assassin!
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Such a shame the Tick TV show didn't make it. I still have my original comics ( not all of them, sadly are first print though ) Good times.
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Google it. Good stuff.
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"As far as I know, the only thing Speed Racer suffered was it's box office returns, which means shit."
Oh really, tell it to the investors. No investors = no movie. Huge bomb + new project in same genre = New Investors. Who are the people here asking if Speed Racer bombed? Varakor it was the most fun you had in theatres,that's fine,but did you notice you had the whole row to yourself? -
into a live-action film in 2005 in Japan as "Shinobi: Heart Under Blade."Why the fuck would Warner Bros need to adapt it?
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