Warner Bros. really wants to bring Manga to the big screen in live action form, as they’re already working on an adaptation of Akira, and now THR reports that they’re in the process of securing the rights to Bleach, the hit manga that in the last few years has become an incredibly successful anime, which is now up to 170 episodes in Japan.
Peter Segal (Get Smart) is in negotations to produce but not direct the film version, which would follow the adventures of a 15-year-old boy who has the ability to see ghosts and meets a female Soul Reaper, a member of an order that escorts the souls of the dead. A fight with an evil spirit causes the Reaper to transfer all her power to the boy, leaving her stranded in the human world and the boy taking over her job as a fighter of evil.
You can certainly see why Warner would be interested, as Bleach has the potential to be a great teen franchise, as long as they don’t screw it up and kiddify it too much. Both the manga and anime manage to be both intense, actioned packed and fun, while never seeming juvenile. That said, this is Hollywood, so maybe we’ll get as hideous as the Dragonball film.