Bleach is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, and fans are eagerly awaiting the anime’s return with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, set to premiere at the end of this autumn.
While fans are excited to see what happens next in this anime series, it might not be the only Bleach-related project they’re looking forward to in the future.
According to a report from DanielRPK (a reliable source), a new live-action Bleach film is currently being developed by Warner Bros. Pictures, as they are actively searching for a screenwriter and director for the project. If this report is accurate, it means Bleach will be the next major manga and anime franchise aimed at being adapted into a live-action film, joining the ranks of other Hollywood adaptations.
This would mark the latest addition to the wave of Shonen Jump franchises making their way into Hollywood, alongside titles like Naruto, One Piece, and One-Punch Man.
Anime Adaptations Turning into Live-Action Films
If Bleach officially has a live-action adaptation with Warner Bros. Pictures, it will be the latest project in the growing trend of anime-to-live-action adaptations, which has seen various developments in recent years. Although new live-action projects have been announced for titles like Sword Art Online and others, the success of Netflix’s One Piece and the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender has made this trend even more appealing.
The swift and explosive success of these adaptations has certainly captured the attention of audiences eager for anime to transition into live-action films.
In just the past year, or even a few months, several of these projects have been moving forward more quickly and promisingly for the future. Naruto has recently signed a contract with director Destin Daniel Cretton (best known for directing Spider-Man 4), while Legendary Entertainment is also advancing with a live-action adaptation of My Hero Academia. One Punch Man is similarly in development with Sony Pictures.
Is a Live-Action Bleach Film Necessary?
For those concerned about whether a live-action Bleach film is essential or just a passing idea, it is worth noting that a successful live-action film adaptation of Bleach was released in Japan. Directed by Shunsuke Sato, the first live-action Bleach film debuted in 2018, adapted from the original manga series by Tite Kubo.
Unfortunately, this film did not achieve success as fans had hoped. It did not receive a sequel, despite hints in the ending that a continuation was possible.
The primary reason seems to be that the quality of the film did not resonate with fans. The adaptation was criticized for its handling of the source material.
All these factors suggest that there is a foundation in place and potential for a successful live-action adaptation of Bleach. If Warner Bros. Pictures is indeed progressing with this project, fans may have something exciting to look forward to.
