Posted in: Recent Updates, TV | Tagged: Adult Swim, Chris Yost, cowboy bebop, Toonami
Anime Series Cowboy Bebop Scores Live-Action U.S. Remake
Tomorrow Studios (TNT's Snowpiercer) is developing a live-action adaption of the late-'90's cult Japanese anime series Cowboy Bebop; with Midnight Radio co-executive producing the project alongside Sunrise, the studio home of the original series. Chris Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok), no stranger to writing for both animation as well as live-action, is on-board to write the Cowboy Bebop live action adaptation, Deadline Hollywood reports.
Considered by many to be one of the best anime of all time, Cowboy Bebop was a 26-episode series that aired in Japan from 1998-1999 and was a unique take on the "space western" genre with its style and approach. Following the adventures of Spike Spiegel and his crew of bounty hunters ("Cowboys") as they seek to rid the galaxy of the worst criminals, make a tidy profit and try not to cause too much damage, the series would go on to receive international acclaim and be recognized for helping introduce a new generation of Western viewers to anime. Episodes are still available for viewing online through Hulu and Crunchyroll; and also air on Saturday nights as part of Adult Swim's Toonami programming.
Midnight Radio (Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner & Scott Rosenberg) will executive produce with Sunrise; Tomorrow Studios' Marty Adelstein (Good Behavior, Prison Break) and Becky Clements (Good Behavior, Aquarius); and Matthew Weinberg.
In a statement, Adelstein expressed his excitement over what a live-action adaptation could bring to the Cowboy Bebop mythos: "We are excited to work with Sunrise in bringing this beloved anime to the U.S. and global marketplace as a live-action series. The animated version has long resonated with audiences worldwide, and with the continued, ever growing, popularity of anime, we believe a Cowboy Bebop live action version will have an incredible impact today."