Fantasy sci-fi anime 'Sword Art Online' to become a live-action, U.S.-produced TV series

Ceewan

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TOKYO —

Contrary to some early expectations, 2012 anime “Sword Art Online” didn’t achieve quite the same breakout popularity among mainstream western audiences as “Dragon Ball,” “Ghost in the Shell” or “Cowboy Bebop.” Still, “Sword Art Online” proved to be a massive hit among the demographics it was tailored for: fans of animation, video games, and fantasy storytelling.

Based on an ongoing series of novels from creator Reki Kawahara, “Sword Art Online’s” popularity has been strong enough to fuel multiple anime seasons, manga retellings, and five video game adaptations. Now, the intrinsically multimedia tale of a group of gamers trapped in a virtual reality role-playing game looks to be heading into a new realm, as America’s Skydance Television has acquired “Sword Art Online’s” global live-action rights.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the California-based Skydance has announced it is planning a “Sword Art Online” TV series, with its pilot being written by Laeta Kalogridis, who will also serve as an executive producer on the project. Kalogridis’ eclectic writing credits include “Terminator Genisys,” “Shutter Island” and the Oliver Stone-directed “Alexander,” and she served as a producer on James Cameron’s “Avatar” and “White House Down.” Kalogridis was also temporarily attached to DreamWorks’ upcoming “Ghost in the Shell” motion picture.

As is always the case with anime-to-live-action projects, the question arises of how closely the adaptation will adhere to its source material. For his part, Skydance founder and CEO David Ellison, who will also be a producer on the live-action “Sword Art Online,” sounds content to leave well-enough largely alone, giving his goal as to “build out a deeply immersive new universe of SAO in an authentic way that honors its well-established fan base.” The basic synopsis released by the company also stays similar to that of the original series, saying it focuses on a group of friends trapped inside a virtual reality game, with male lead Kirito’s name unchanged.

At this stage, the series has neither a cast nor network, but Skydance sounds committed to making it a reality. The company also says it is planning a “Sword Art Online” “virtual reality experience,” although given the ominous in-story connotations of such technology, existing fans may need some measure of courage to take the plunge and try it out.

While a number of Japanese animation series have been adapted into Hollywood movies in recent years, Skydance’s TV plans are a unique alternative in anime-to-live-action undertakings. Whether this move comes in response to certain high-profile theatrical busts, or was made to better appeal to how young fans consume narrative-dense media in the modern era is unknown, but if the live-action “Sword Art Online” turns out to be a success, you can bet producers on both sides of the Pacific will take notice.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter via Twitter/@kazuma_miki2016 via Hachima Kiko






Nooooooooooo!!!!!! I can only imagine how Hollywood is going to trash one of my favorite animes with transgender elves, lesbian dwarves, gay paladins, replacing male roles with female ones and vice versa, politically correct dialogue and an unrealistically evenly mixed multi-race and gender cast in an attempt to appeal to everyone but the original creator and author. Please....just tell the story like it is written for a change. I know it isn't going to happen but let us cross our fingers that someone realizes a good story when they see it. Expand on it, don't change it. The original story is hardcore enough to rival anything as it is and deviation will just ruin it. Even taking the main characters out of Japan, which I guarantee they will do, is going to diminish it severly. Fuck....they might as well just do a muppet version of it so I know for sure it is going to be ruined and won't have to put myself through the pain of watching it. The Wiki has it scheduled to be released sometime next year (subject to change I am sure).
 
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kjamc1982

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Watch they will cast a Japanese Actor to play Egil in the live action movie. If Sword Art Online was a "Muppet" like movie it would be better than the anime. I did actually like the Light Novel of SAO.
 
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Ceewan

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Wow. Not a fan of the SAO anime huh? that is okay. Opinions on these things differ. Never read the light novel, though. I am sure it was good. I didn't know that they strrayed from the story in the anime. I am currently watching the series for the third time then I came across this article. There are just certain underlining currents of the story, those below the surface, that appeal to me. A few movies are like that. Ever seen "By The Sword" with Eric Roberts and F. Murray Abram? I must have seen that movie like ten times. Someitmes cinema is like that. It can have a certain appeal to you and not to others.
 
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kjamc1982

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The anime basically became a 'harem' anime after the second episode. Also they really didn't explain anything much about the game mechanics, unlike what Log Horizon did in its first and second season. I did like SAO however, it was not mind blowing as what its biggest fan say about it. However, I am happy that it did introduce a lot of new people to anime, and help make streaming anime more popular in the West. I just hope the SAO live action anime will be as good or better than the Attack on Titan live action movie which I watch in the theatre and enjoyed.
Wish I could see the live action Ruroni Kenshin movie in the theatre as well but none locally are going to show it. :vodoo:
 

Ceewan

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The anime basically became a 'harem' anime after the second episode. Also they really didn't explain anything much about the game mechanics, unlike what Log Horizon did in its first and second season.



But....but....I really like harem anime. I mean seriously, what guy doesn't? And Kirito was only interested in one girl (not that that isn't common in harem animes). I really consider it more of a romance story. I totally get your point though.

Log Horizon: good anime, watched both seasons, shared them in the torrent section. Very intellectual. A kids anime....for general audiences. The first season of SAO, not the sequels, Rated R all the way baby. A bit fast paced. More action oreintated and centered around studly, our hero and all around bad ass who is nothing like The Villian in Glasses (who has a few love interests of his own mind you).
 
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Ceewan

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Sword Art Online proved to be a massive hit among the demographics it was tailored for: fans of animation, video games, and fantasy storytelling.

That would cover the demographics for most all anime though (keep in mind that the most popular games in Japan are Dating Sim games). Also a majority of anime, if not based on a manga series or a light novel series, usually have a manga or light novel based on them afterwards. I do agree that the fantasy/video game setting had distinctive appeal though, likely targeted at MMORPG players (as that is what the characters in SAO are) but I am not sure that is so much as to design and more by happenstance as they were the authors inspiration for the story as opposed to them being commericially targeted (although I am sure that idea did not escape the producers).
 

ashshark

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i am not too much fan of sao (in fact i like more the futuristic spin off, i dont remember the name now xD) but... NOOOOOOOOO!! anime + live action + hollywood = fail always is a fail, ghost in the shell (the live movie from usa) will be a fail too dragon ball evolution was a fail (and still is) xD the movie have to be made in japan and will be really nice (rurouni kenshin) for sure i am forgiving another examples, but... i dont like the idea of a live action american adaptation movie... just no...T_T
 
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