Imagine having a notebook that allows you to kill anyone you know — either by face or name — simply by writing their name in it? It may sound like the wet dream of politicans with a grudge, but it's actually the premise of Death Note, a 2003 Manga that has been adapted into a film for Netflix.
Nat Wolff is Light Turner, the guy who comes across said notebook and begins using it to kill criminals who deserve to die (think of him as Dexter Morgan wielding a pen rather than a knife), beginning to imagine himself as God along the way. Eventually he becomes the subject of an investigation by a mysterious detective named L (Keith Stanfield). Added into the mix is Ryuk (a CG creation voiced by Willem Dafoe), who is the one who created the notebook and dropped it into our world because he was bored. The film is written by Charles and Vlas Parlapanides and Jeremy Slater, and directed by Adam Wingard.
The Death Note manga was adapted into an anime in 2006 and spanned thirty-seven episodes; and from there was turned into three video games, four Japanese features, and, in 2015, a Japanese TV series and musical.
In speaking to Collider, Wingard expressed his excitement over having the creative freedom that Netflix provides to remain faithful to the source material. "That was the cool thing about it," he said, "because it's an anime film. So, technically, it's a cartoon that you're bringing to life. To me, the thing about anime is that it's so adult-oriented. I remember going to Suncoast [video stores] growing up and you see Akira there with the little 'Not For Kids' sticker on it. That always made an impact on me. So, doing my first live-action anime thing, to me it was important that you have those adult themes. So it's got nudity, it's got swearing, it's got a ton of violence."
Death Note is scheduled to make its Netflix debut this 25 August.
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