One’s an anti-hero, and the other an unconventional hero. The worlds of two differing heroic definitions are soon to collide as Sony taps into the talents of screenwriter duo Scot Rosenberg and Jeff Pinker for their next big project: a One Punch Man live-action adaptation.
The pair, who is known for their work on Jumanji: The Next Level and Venom, will be working alongside producer Avi Arad, whose portfolio also includes all the Spider-Man movies and the first three X-Men titles.
Like most fresh announcements, few details about the adaptation have been made available thus far. What’s known, though, is Sony’s plan to put it high on the priority list once the COVID-19 situation blows over, the severity of which has triggered a spate of screen debut delays and put Sony’s very own Venom follow-up on hold.
While an unexpected project, the pick of Rosenberg and Pinker is hardly surprising. Over the years, they have grown to become reliable favourites for Sony, bringing in huge box office earnings. Their current scriptwriting stint on Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop live-action series certainly puts them in good shoes for the upcoming One Punch Man take as well.
Still, there’s reason for concern and scepticism. One Punch Man is considered to be one of the most overwhelmingly popular anime and manga around, so expectations are understandably high. Besides, anime live-action adaptations, especially when it comes to Hollywood, have always had a bad track record among audiences, with Ghost in the Shell, Death Note, and Dragonball Evolution causing more disillusionment and disdain than delightful excitement.
Hollywood’s obsession with unnecessary live-action takes remains a mystery, but it’s too early to write off Rosenberg and Pinker’s efforts. For a quick recap of One Punch Man, do find its synopsis below –
“One-Punch Man tells the story of Saitama, a superhero who can defeat any opponent with a single punch but seeks to find a worthy opponent after growing bored by a lack of challenge in his fight against evil.”
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Natalie
Trinity Sun
