In this era where franchise films rule the box office, studios are desperate to get their hands on any sort of established IP that can translate into big bucks as a feature film series. But even still, many studios are reluctant to make a bet on Japanese manga series and anime. That being said, it appears that Sony is going to take a risk and adapt the hugely popular manga/anime series, “One Punch Man,” for the big screen.
According to Variety, Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner have been hired to write the script based on the global hit, “One Punch Man.” For those not familiar with the popular manga series and anime that inspired it, “One Punch Man” is set to tell the story of Saitama, a superhero that has the ability to beat any villain with only a single punch. Saitama then goes on a hunt to find a bad guy worthy of his attention, as he grows bored of easily defeating his enemies.
Before enlisting into the realm of “One Punch Man,” Rosenberg and Pinker are a screenwriting duo that has had several big hits under their belt. The pair co-wrote Sony’s 2018 hit superhero film, “Venom,” as well as both ‘Jumanji’ sequels that have gone on to become massive worldwide blockbusters. So, they seem well equipped to write a film based on the insanely popular “One Punch Man.”
As mentioned, there is one big problem with this adaptation—history. You see, studios have tried and mostly failed, to adapt Japanese anime and manga franchises for the big screen. Perhaps the biggest example of this is the recent “Ghost in the Shell” film, starring Scarlett Johansson. Not only was the film a critical and financial failure, but there was also a lot of controversy surrounding the casting of the film, with cries of whitewashing. Last year, James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez attempted to break the curse with “Alita: Battle Angel,” but that film wasn’t the massive hit it was poised to become, though it does have a fairly large cult fanbase. Recently, we also saw Taika Waititi’s “Akira” adaptation go back on the shelf, after script issues.
Historically, American versions of Japanese franchises have struggled mightily. In addition to the above films, there were failed films such as “Dragonball Evolution,” “The Last Airbender,” “Death Note,” and “Speed Racer.” None of those were the massive hits that the studios hoped for and banked on.
Can “One Punch Man” break the cycle? We’ll have to wait and see.