Netflix doesn’t have the greatest track record with anime adaptations. Sure, they can create a new dub of Neon Genesis Evangelion or adapt Alice in Borderland from the original manga, but there’s something about the anime-to-live-action process that Netflix can’t quite seem to nail down.
They tried once with the whitewashed (and generally atrocious) Death Note adaptation, and then again with Cowboy Bebop, which managed to come off as completely soulless despite the presence of John Cho. Now the streaming giant is taking another swing with a hugely successful anime: My Hero Academia. Here’s everything you need to know.
When will Netflix’s My Hero Academia come out?
The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that Netflix had signed on to distribute a film adaptation of the hit anime and manga, so production is far off, and release is even further. However, considering the film already has a scriptwriter and director on board, pre-production is clearly underway.
Late 2024 or maybe even the first half of 2025 would be a conservative guess as to when this movie will ultimately be streamable.
Who is involved with Netflix’s My Hero Academia?
The Hollywood Reporter also revealed that the film will be written by Joby Harold. Harold has dealt with big franchises before: He penned scripts for Obi-Wan Kenobi and wrote Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. Hopefully his resume means that My Hero Academia’s wide ensemble of characters will be done justice.
The director will be Shinsuke Sato, who’s making his English language debut but is in no way inexperienced. His direction of the breakout manga adaptation Alice in Borderland showed he can make a very specific manga-like tone work in live-action, which should be a relief to fans.
Is there a trailer for Netflix’s My Hero Academia?
No, we’ll have to wait a little longer before we see any visuals for the series. However, it sounds like My Hero Academia will actually cast Japanese actors instead of whitewashing the characters à la Death Note, so if that’s your concern you can (hopefully) trust that Netflix learned its lesson.
What is Netflix’s My Hero Academia about?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film won’t change much from the “superhero school” premise of the manga and anime. The film is still set in a world where 80 percent of people have a developed power called a “quirk.” The rest of the synopsis reads:
“For superhero fanboy Izuku Midoriya (aka Deku), being born without a quirk makes him almost give up his dream of going to U.A. High School, the most prestigious hero training academy. But after a chance encounter with the legendary All Might, Deku starts on the road to become the greatest hero.”
Netflix will hopefully do the original story justice, but don’t be surprised if they add a few quirks of their own.
