IT director Andy Muschietti is set to direct a new feature film based on Hajime Isayama's gruesome post-apocalyptic manga Attack on Titan. The story has previously been adapted into a well-received anime series, a less well-received live-action movie, and several video games. There have previously been rumors of Warner Bros. chasing the movie rights to Attack on Titan, but they have only now been confirmed.
Attack on Titan is set in a grim future where humanity has almost been completely wiped out by a mysterious species of giants called Titans. The Titans are extremely difficult to kill, so the military has developed a set of gear called vertical maneuvering equipment, which allows soldiers to swing around rooftops, treetops, and the Titans themselves for a shot at slicing through the giants' only weak spot - at the nape of their neck. Attack on Titan follows the story of Eren Yeager, a young man who is determined to do his part in defending humanity from the Titans.
Related: 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Attack On Titan
Variety reports that Warner Bros. has finalized a deal with Attack on Titan's publishing company Kodansha, and that Muschietti is set to direct the movie. IT producer Barbara Muschietti will produce the film, alongside David Heyman (Harry Potter) and Masi Oka (Mega Man). It's unclear whether Warner Bros. has a planned production start date in mind yet, but Muschietti is about to wrap principal photography on IT Chapter Two, which is set for release in September 2019. That means that Attack on Titan could feasibly begin production as early as next year.
Muschietti has strong horror credentials, with his original short film Mama so impressing Guillermo Del Toro that he helped Muschietti get it made into a feature film. IT was Muschietti's next directing project, and along with receiving widespread critical acclaim and attracting an enthusiastic fanbase, the movie also grossed more than $700 million at the box office - a staggering amount for an R-rated horror film.
Attack on Titan seems like the perfect opportunity to bring in IT performers like Bill Skarsgård and Javier Botet, who are comfortable performing with heavy prosthetic make-up, as the Titans. Getting these terrifying monsters right is a make-or-break factor for any Attack on Titan movie, and their manga-faithful creepy appearance was one of the strongest elements of the Japanese live-action movie. Needless to say, we're pretty excited about this project, and we'll bring you more news about Attack on Titan as it develops.
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Source: Variety