Horror director Adam Wingard has signed on to helm Warner Bros’ DEATH NOTE adaptation. Based on the Shonen Jump manga series Death Note created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, the horror story follows a a reclusive student that discovers a supernatural book that kills anyone whose name is written within its pages. Armed with his newfound power, he decides to put to death all of those who have done him wrong, attracting the attention of a police officer investigating the mysterious deaths.
Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Jason Hoffs and Masi Oka are producing the adaptation, while Doug Davison and Brian Witten are exec producing. Niija Kuykendall and Nik Mavinkurve will oversee development for Warner Bros.
The project can be categorized as a revolving door, with countless execs and creatives hopping on board throughout its development. Shane Black and Gus Van Sant were both at a time attached to direct. Black wrote the current draft, after Anthony Bagarozzi, Charles Mondry, Charles Parlapanides, and Vlas Parlapanides tried their hand. There were two films previously produced in Japan that were also adaptations of the popular manga series.
Wingard is a mainstay in the current era of contemporary independent horror, delivering cult-favorite critical successes in The Guest and You’re Next. Considered a pioneer in the low-budget horror movement known as Mumblegore, he’s also directed some of the better entries in V/H/S, its sequel, and The ABCs of Death. This summer, he’ll shoot Lionsgate’s teen horror The Woods, which is also produced by Roy Lee.
Wingard is repped by CAA.
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Clark Allen | Associate Editor
