Last year’s Japanese animation, Your Name, was a huge hit amongst critics and audiences alike, so of course the big studios have sat up and taken notice of its popularity, Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot, in particular, have won the rights to adapt the animation for a live-action feature with JJ Abrams taking up a producer’s spot.
Related: YOUR NAME Review
The two companies will work closely with Japan-based Toho Co., Ltd, the producers behind the original, on the adaptation that will also see Lindsey Weber produce for Bad Robot, along with Genki Kawamura, producer of the original film. Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Eric Heisserer (ARRIVAL) will write the screenplay.
YOUR NAME, an original story created, written, and directed by Makoto Shinkai, tells the story of a teenage boy and girl from different backgrounds who discover they can swap bodies. They become desperate to cross space and time to find a way to meet and stop an impending disaster.
“Just like in the film it feels like a dream,” says Genki Kawamura. “Mr Abrams and his team have captivated audiences in their masterful reinvention of known properties. And Mitsuha and Taki have found a perfect narrator, Mr Heisserer, to tell their sci-fi infused love story which gave the film such drive. The meetings so far have been creatively stimulating with fantastic ideas that no doubt will make for a great movie. I am greatly honoured to work with these incredible creators in bringing to audiences the Hollywood live-action version of YOUR NAME.”
Related: Exclusive: Director Makoto Shinkai on Japanese animation Your Name
YOUR NAME has become the highest grossing anime film at the worldwide box office, earning US$355M. In Japan, it earned ¥25.0 billion(US$303M) and held the top spot at the box office for a record-breaking 12 weeks (non-consecutive). The movie is also the highest grossing Japanese film to release in China to date, earning US$85.6M.
