IF Magazine reports that producer Erwin Stoff is developing a live-action movie for 20th Century Fox based on the popular space-Western/noir anime series Cowboy Bebop.
“I’m really excited to be working on it, and it’s in the really early stages,” said Stoff, who also produced A Scanner Darkly and Constantine. “We just signed it the other day.”
Fueled by a soundtrack of jazz and early rock, Cowboy Bebop aired for 26 episodes in 1998-1999. The show, set in 2071, followed bounty hunters who traveled aboard a ship called the Bebop. The series spawned a feature film, a manga series and two video games.
How will Cowboy Bebop’s devoted following react to news of the adaptation, and the inevitable speculation (and grumbling) about the casting of Spike Spiegel, Faye Valentine & Co.?
“Flak about choices is meaningless until people see the movie,” Stoff told iF Magazine. “When people see the movie, then criticism has a place in it.”
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
The News keeps on coming.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:40 am
Hopefully they cast Man Faye in this.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I don’t think this is a great idea but hopefully it’s entertaining
Live-action Faye needs to be super duper hot
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Holy crap. I may need to change my..yup, need to change my pants. Thanks a LOT Kevin.
Seriously, my all time favorite Anime, and I couldn’t be more excited.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Here’s hoping the producers have half a brain and keep Yoko Kanno along for the soundtrack. Otherwise, it’s really not Cowboy Bebop.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Please, Eric Stoff. Please don’t cast Keanu Reeves as Spiegel. Please please please.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Yes. No Keanu please. I have high hopes for this. Do they make original premised material in Hollywood anymore? Lifted or “homaged” matter doesn’t count…
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:11 pm
So criticism is only valid if you people see the movie and validate my vision, no matter how distorted, by paying cash for it. Yes, you can’t complain unless you let me be in the clear by funding the movie even if my last adaptation was less than faithful.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:44 am
“Do they make original premised material in Hollywood anymore?”
Hollywood has always been adaptation crazy. From the moment it started they were adapting stage plays, novels, and biblical epics.
Even comic books. There were Superman and Captain America movies within a couple years of the characters’ first comics. Hollywood has *always* looked for the built in audience.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I really don’t know how to feel about this… I want to be optimistic but the chances are looking slim… ;(
September 21st, 2008 at 10:28 pm
NINJA SCROLL IS BETTER FOR LIVE ACTION.
My ideas is that Ninja Scroll should go into a live action film,not Cowboy Bebop,Ninja Scroll is developed by Threshold Entertainment (Mortal Kombat) and Madhouse Studios.
Threshold’s Larry Kasanoff will make some announcements on the project when the news comes up and Sean Catherine Derek has worked on the script for the film.
Threshold will work out a studio for Ninja Scroll something like Universal Pictures to release the film.
Thank you.
BRUCE ACOSTA
AUSTRALIA.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Well the only problem I have with this is that Keanu Reevs doesn not have the trates of spike nore the martial arts nessary. CowHe lacks on Spikes smooth style of speach and casting keanu is an isult to anime fans everywhere. PUT A LITTLE THOUGHT INTO SOME NEW ACTORS. YOU FUCKING MAINSTREAM PIECE OF SHIT NETWORK.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I’de rather see Johnny dep as spike…. yea I went there
January 19th, 2009 at 8:08 am
I was just thinking abotu a month ago how badly I hoped they would make a live action cowboy bebop multi part movie. The only problem that I had was that I thought well knowing hollywood they will do something lame like pick Keanu Reevs. My actual thought of you lacking of imagination. Who will be vicious Vin fucking DEiesal. I was like nah the man who made this film would not alow Keanu to be spike I am just imagining that Hollwoods pockets run that deep. I assume that Bandai holds the testicles though. I was hoping time would pass and I would have more acting lessons when I heard about this and about 7 more years Jeet Kune do martial arts. I am sure the producer of this doesnt even know what Spikes style is. He will just strap some fucking lines on him and tell him to say woa and bang all the time
January 19th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Seriously do you even understand what spike symbolizes.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:17 am
There once was a cat. That cat lived and died a thousand times. Then one day the cat met a female cat. Well they fell madly in love and the femal cat grew old and died. Well shortly after that the male cat died again. This time he didn’t come back.
Jet: Thats a good story.
Spike: I always hated cats.
Do you understand? Do you? I can finally die?
Yea I understand; Bang!
You just don’t understand the empathy the man who wrote this Keiko Nobumoto had about the living soul and humanity. I Veto this I Have followed Keanus films and I love his work. But Keanu I say this if you do this film just so you can stroke you goddamn ego instead of allowing time to pass and a fucking epic to be made that helps change the way people think then you are a fucking lower hollywood parasite then I could ever articulate into words.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Now if you put Keanu on shrooms then I will be fine. I seriously just dont see spike in Keanu. I look in the mirror and at spike and I am like yea this is lame. I’m not saying pick me I am saying wtf pick someone like me with better acting skills and jeet kunde do skills that looks and acts like spike. But.. I have the future to live for. Not the past; wich this will soon be a past failure. Simple because money is a corupting element. Who ever directed blade runner who was that guy hmm Riddley Scott. Watch blade runner then watch the entire cowboy bebop series 5 times in a row then watch blade runner again. Riddley Scott Deserves to direct this film and pick the actors he finds suiting. NOT SOME GODDAMN LOW BUDGET FOX PARASITE.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:28 am
But Keenu under direction of Riddley Scott could pull it off with maybe 4 years of hard form training he is a good actor if he could lose that goddamn stoner tone he could do it.