UN Spacy Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 Source: http://www.ifmagazine.com/new.asp?article=6571 LOCATION: Beverly Hills, CA THE SKINNY: If anybody is in the mood for some exhilarating, long-anticipated, previously-unannounced breaking news about anime series COWBOY BEBOP, iF Magazine has the exclusive scoop for you. We caught up with producer-extraordinaire Erwin Stoff at the NBC TCAs where he was promoting his upcoming updated-David-and-Goliath-based show KINGS. When asked about other projects he is currently working on, Stoff, let slip some very juicy news about a very beloved anime franchise. “I’m developing COWBOY BEBOP for Fox, but doing it as a live-action film, so I’m working on that at the moment,” Stoff tells iF. “I’m really excited to be working on it, and it’s in the really early stages. We just signed it the other day.” Before any of you BEBOP fanboys/fangirls get your skivvies in a twist about yet another questionable anime-to-human adaptation (see: DRAGONBALL), iF made sure to get an oath of fidelity to the original material from Stoff. “I have such an enormous admiration for its creators, that our first and foremost concern is going to be a real degree of faithfulness to the tone of the movie, to the mix of genres, and so on and so forth,” he says. “When I met with them in Japan, one of the first things that I brought up was the experience that we had on A SCANNER DARKLY, and how hard we worked to remain faithful to Philip K. Dick, and that was our big concern here.” For those skeptical about the casting possibilities, Stoff has the following to say: “Flak about choices is meaningless until people see the movie," he notes. "When people see the movie, then criticism has a place in it.” Does Stoff think that American audiences that aren’t familiar with the anime will have trouble getting aboard? “No, I really don’t think they will,” says Scoff. “I think they haven’t [gotten aboard] with the anime because it’s had limited exposure - it’s just been on Adult Swim, and so on. I think the ability to tell this larger frame - the ability to build a world that’s iconically American in its Western nature - I don’t think so at all.” Quote
JB0 Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 I always thought that line was "I think it's time we blow this scene, get everybody the stuff together" Your's makes more sense. Quote
Keith Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 I nominate Jake Loyd for Vicious! .... Samual Jackson as Jet, and Hayden Christianson as Spike! Quote
eugimon Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 hmmm, when I wished for another cowboy bebop movie, this wasn't what I had in mind. Didn't watch scanner darkly so I have no idea if these guys are worth their salt or not. Quote
wolfx Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 Is he hiring man-Faye? (runs....) It will be awesome even if he shows up as a cameo! Quote
Lindem Herz Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 "... the ability to build a world that’s iconically American in its Western nature - I don’t think so at all.” [facepalm] Dude, this ain't Firefly, and if you haven't noticed, both of them were going for either an utterly cosmopolitan or Chinese vibe. [/facepalm] Anyway, I hope they at least bring the musical variety over and don't settle for country/rock ballads/orchestration. Half of Bebop's slickness was the music after all, and I would love to see that kind of soundtrack experimentation on a commercial film. ... but then again, this is FOX, so, whatever. Quote
akt_m Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 I nominate Jake Loyd for Vicious! .... Samual Jackson as Jet, and Hayden Christianson as Spike! What? Dart Vader? You really want a bad movie then? Quote
Scream Man Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 (edited) I always thought that line was "I think it's time we blow this scene, get everybody the stuff together" Your's makes more sense. I'm almost positive that is what the line is. It's what Id always heard. Edited July 24, 2008 by Scream Man Quote
transfan52 Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 I nominate Jake Loyd for Vicious! .... Samual Jackson as Jet, and Hayden Christianson as Spike! Hayden christiansen is a terrible actor IMO... Ha was terrible and unconvincing as darth vader and now this? If you like wooden acting I guess hes right for you though... Quote
Scream Man Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 sarcasm just leaps on past you doesnt it dude? Quote
Keith Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 Hayden christiansen is a terrible actor IMO... Ha was terrible and unconvincing as darth vader and now this? If you like wooden acting I guess hes right for you though... If you didn't get the joke after "Jake Lloyd", then I can't help you! Quote
Garou Kuroryuu Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 Anyway, I hope they at least bring the musical variety over and don't settle for country/rock ballads/orchestration. Half of Bebop's slickness was the music after all, and I would love to see that kind of soundtrack experimentation on a commercial film. but then again, this is FOX, so, whatever. Wha... would they get Yoko Kanno? NO WAY that's gonna happen. As you put it.... "this is FOX, so..." Quote
areaseven Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 I nominate either Aria Giovanni, Veronica Zemanova or Tera Patrick as Faye Valentine, and Hannah Hilton or Raylene Richards as Julia. Quote
bsu legato Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 Meh....I'll worry about this one when it actually has a script, a director and a cast. Right now it's talk, like so many other anime adaptations. Remember when the live-action GITS movie was announced? Yeah, nobody else either, does because there's been no mention of it since. Quote
UN Spacy Posted August 1, 2008 Author Posted August 1, 2008 Keanu Reeves to play Spike Spiegel? Just last week IF Magazine discovered that Fox is developing a live-action Cowboy Bebop movie based on the popular anime series. Remarkably, the project still isn't officially announced and Fox is still keeping it under wraps. However, a good friend inside the industry who is a very reliable source wrote in to tell me that the film is being fast tracked inside the studio and will most likely be out by 2010. He also revealed that Keanu Reeves has been attached as the lead character Spike for over eight months now and is still set for the role. Unfortunately there isn't a writer or director attached yet, but with some new forward momentum coming from last week's announcement, I don't think it will take too long. Yep, you heard that right, the same guy who played Neo will be taking on the role of Spike Spiegel, a former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who is haunted by the memory of his time in the organization. As we mentioned previously, the show first aired in Japan in early 1998 and was brought over to America in 2001 on Adult Swim. The series follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop, in the year 2071. If you're looking for more details regarding this live-action Cowboy Bebop movie, here's yet another juicy tidbit. With Keanu Reeves involved, it's obvious this is no small project. My source also told me that if everything stays the same, the budget on this will be insane. Whether or not you believe it, the new trend in Hollywood is Asian culture. The first three big films that will open the door for more to come are Dragonball, Street Fighter, and Tekken. And we already announced live-action adaptations of Akira and Ghost in the Shell as well, so why not throw Cowboy Bebop into the mix as well? By 2012 we'll probably see all kinds of anime and manga adapted from Berserk to Hellsing and more. Jumping back to Cowboy Bebop, I have a feeling the initial reaction to Keanu is going to be negative, but just look at Day the Earth Stood Still. After seeing some additional footage, Keanu looks like the perfect fit for Klaatu and I can't wait to see that. Can we give him a chance in Cowboy Bebop? Quote
Chewie Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 I nominate Jake Loyd for Vicious! .... Samual Jackson as Jet, and Hayden Christianson as Spike! I can and will hurt you. Quote
Max Jenius Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 Anime doesn't translate well into live action unless they're not afraid to go batshit crazy. Quote
areaseven Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 Anime doesn't translate well into live action unless they're not afraid to go batshit crazy. Well, the Wachowski Brothers did, and look what happened to Speed Racer. Quote
Max Jenius Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 Well, the Wachowski Brothers did, and look what happened to Speed Racer. I heard some people had fun with the movie. I mean... it's Speed Racer... Quote
MisaForever Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 Keanu "Whoa" Reeves as Spike would be pure fail for this movie. Quote
Chewie Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 I heard some people had fun with the movie. I mean... it's Speed Racer... I was going to say the same thing. The original Speed Racer sucked. The movie was fun and cheesy. Quote
lord_breetai Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 [facepalm] Dude, this ain't Firefly, and if you haven't noticed, both of them were going for either an utterly cosmopolitan or Chinese vibe. [/facepalm] Anyway, I hope they at least bring the musical variety over and don't settle for country/rock ballads/orchestration. Half of Bebop's slickness was the music after all, and I would love to see that kind of soundtrack experimentation on a commercial film. ... but then again, this is FOX, so, whatever. Well in reference to Firefly I'd say that it was a dual nature, very Chinese inspired but also very American Wild West... and of course that's because those were sort of the two surviving superpowers before they left Earth. As for Bebop, I can't say I never got past the first couple episodes. Also I've read some Jazz critics saying that Yoko Kanno borrowed her Jazz arrangements (none of which really fall into Bebop) from other sources. So I don't consider it her finest achievement, musically either. Quote
Sumdumgai Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 River can kill you with her brain, can Ed? Ein on the other hand... Speaking of Ein, would they actually have a welsh corgi as Ein? Or go with another kind of dog? Or just drop Ein altogether? Quote
Keith Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 Bebop doesn't work without Ein, he's the brains of the outfit. Quote
Max Jenius Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 I was going to say the same thing. The original Speed Racer sucked. The movie was fun and cheesy. Pretttyyy much... Quote
Lindem Herz Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 As for Bebop, I can't say I never got past the first couple episodes. Also I've read some Jazz critics saying that Yoko Kanno borrowed her Jazz arrangements (none of which really fall into Bebop) from other sources. So I don't consider it her finest achievement, musically either. I wasn't really talking about bringing Kanno to the film or even using her music there. What I meant is that the music itself and its variety, regardless of the sources, genre (Live in Baghdad, Autumn in Ganymede or Pushing the Sky are not particularly jazzy) or even quality are as much a part of the whole Cowboy Bebop atmosphere on itself as the Mandarin slang and Hanzi in Firefly. But, being this a Fox production, chances are that they are going to totally ignore this and go for a run of the mill Hans Zimmer style score with country music and rock ballads sparkled here and there (which would work for other movies, but not Bebop). Quote
bsu legato Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 I was going to say the same thing. The original Speed Racer sucked. The movie was fun and cheesy. Pretttyyy much... No way, man. That movie totally raped somebody's adolescence (since few people here are old enough to have seen Speed as children when it first aired). The Wachoiasklgnjaskly Bros should totally have updated Speed like the Dark Knight. Can you imagine how totally awesome a realistic, gritty take on Speed Racer could have been? Not to mention the toys they could have made! My fanfic version of the Speed Racer movie is the greatest film never made! And did I mention the toys? MW revolves around toys, and these toys would have been the best thing since the Yamato 1/48. Way to go, Wapqrstuvwxy Brothers, you totally blew that one. Quote
bsu legato Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 I wasn't really talking about bringing Kanno to the film or even using her music there. On a serious note, Kanno is one of the few in the anime industry I'd really love to see do some work in Hollywood. Quote
Max Jenius Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 Pretttyyy much... No way, man. That movie totally raped somebody's adolescence (since few people here are old enough to have seen Speed as children when it first aired). The Wachoiasklgnjaskly Bros should totally have updated Speed like the Dark Knight. Can you imagine how totally awesome a realistic, gritty take on Speed Racer could have been? Not to mention the toys they could have made! My fanfic version of the Speed Racer movie is the greatest film never made! And did I mention the toys? MW revolves around toys, and these toys would have been the best thing since the Yamato 1/48. Way to go, Wapqrstuvwxy Brothers, you totally blew that one. Speed Racer wasn't gritty at all. It was stupid. Just like the Wack movie. But to each his own. Quote
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