Live-action adaptations of anime and manga used to be a source of worry for fans, but now there are many exciting projects in development. Anime’s growing popularity worldwide has led to more careful and well-made adaptations, and fans are now eagerly anticipating the next big live-action release.
Recent successful live-action adaptations, like Netflix’s One Piece, are getting people excited about future projects. Several anime and manga are currently in development, so here’s a look at what’s coming and what fans can look forward to.
7). Samurai Champloo
Despite the recent success of their live-action One Piece adaptation, Tomorrow Studios is still recovering from the cancellation of Cowboy Bebop. They’re now taking on another anime by creator Shinichiro Watanabe, Samurai Champloo, and are hoping for a more positive outcome. This time, Watanabe will be heavily involved in the production process. The series is currently in the very early stages of development, so it remains to be seen if it will be completed and released.
6). One-Punch Man
The live-action adaptation of One-Punch Man is still in very early stages, making it hard to get truly excited about. While Sony Pictures is developing a film with Fast & Furious director Justin Lin and Rick and Morty writers Dan Harmon and Heather Campbell working on the script, very little concrete information has been released since it was first announced in the 2020s. For now, the project feels more like a hopeful idea than a confirmed production.
5). Solo Leveling
After Netflix had success with its live-action adaptations, a live-action series based on Solo Leveling was announced last year. Unlike many similar projects, this series will be produced in Korea, the original home of Solo Leveling, with directors Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo leading the way. The cast already includes Byeon Woo-seok as Sung Jinwoo, Han So-hee as Cha Hae-In, and Kang Youseok as Yoo Jinho. Because it’s being made in Korea, this adaptation has a good chance of being successful, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out.
4). Mobile Suit Gundam
Netflix is adding a live-action Mobile Suit Gundam movie, based on the incredibly popular anime series. Legendary and Bandai Namco Filmworks have been working on this project for years, and filming began earlier this year. Jim Mickle, known for Sweet Tooth, is directing and writing the movie, which stars Sydney Sweeney, Noah Centineo, Michael Mando, and others. While we’ve seen glimpses of Gundamstyle action in films like Ready Player One*, it remains to be seen how this new movie will put its own spin on the franchise.
3). Voltron
Amazon MGM Studios has been developing a new live-action Voltron film with World Events Productions for some time, and it really gained momentum last year. Filming was completed last year, and the movie will be released directly on Prime Video. Currently, this is the most advanced live-action project of its kind, with Rawson Marshall Thurber (known for Red Notice and Central Intelligence) directing and co-writing the script with Ellen Shanman. The film also boasts a strong cast, including Henry Cavill and Sterling K. Brown, and has a lot of potential to be a hit.
2). My Hero Academia
A live-action My Hero Academia movie has been in development with Legendary Entertainment and Toho for almost ten years, making it feel a bit distant. However, progress has been significant recently, especially after Netflix obtained the rights. Shunsuke Sato, the director of Alice in Borderland, will be making his Hollywood debut directing the film, with Jason Fuchs, who wrote for IT: Welcome to Derry, handling the script. My Hero Academia seems like a particularly good fit for an American adaptation.
1). Naruto
I’ve been hearing about a live-action Naruto movie for ages, and it finally seems to be gaining momentum. Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is set to direct for Lionsgate, and he’s been working on the script with Tasha Huo. It sounds like filming could start relatively soon, depending on when he finishes up his current Marvel projects. It will be interesting to see how this one develops.
The project has a lot of potential and benefits from a strong sense of nostalgia, but its visual style, particularly the character design reminiscent of Naruto, could easily make it a disaster. It’s aiming for something big, and the final result is likely to be either amazing or terrible.
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2026-05-13 02:10